Staking His Claim (Ranchers of Chatum County 1)

“This is my sweet baby niece, Elaina. She’s home for Christmas. Elaina, meet our neighbor and very dear friend, Raul.”

As Raul studied the girl in front of him, someone called Janie’s name from the other room.

“I’ve got to see what that’s all about. I’ll be right back.” She floated off and Raul was left alone with the young girl.

He felt the need to touch her and couldn’t stop himself, so he offered her his outstretched palm. “Raul Vega.”

****

As the deep, commanding voice lacerated her insides, Elaina tentatively reached out to give her palm to the tall, dark man standing in front of her. His hand encapsulated hers completely and didn’t let go. A searing moment of shock hit her as she glanced at the rough, masculine hand holding hers captive before her eyes slowly climbed back to his face.

His hand was lean and strong, gripping hers with enough force to momentarily hold her immobile without actually hurting her. The calluses she felt only emphasized his masculinity; the combination of his hand gripping hers and his eyes swallowing her whole were almost more than she could handle at the moment.

Her heartbeat accelerated and blood pulsed through her veins. Heat swam down her body and she prayed her face didn’t show the effect he had on her. As he continued to hold her hand in a tight clasp, she silently studied him.

The man was magnificent. There were no other words.

She guessed his age around thirty, and his surname was indicative of the looks he carried. He was dark and swarthy, his features chiseled and defined in a way that was very much Castilian. He was tall, probably a couple of inches over six feet, with a steely magnetism that ran through his body.

She realized through a haze of disconcertion that he was studying her as intently as she watched him. She sucked in a breath and held it in her tight throat as her body trembled beneath his too-close observation. A tiny blossom of what felt very much like fear unfurled inside her and mingled with the sharp bite of attraction. Her reaction to him unnerved her.

He wasn’t dropping her hand, and Elaina waited silently to be released so she could get the hell away from him. She was seriously out of her depth, and she didn’t want or need his searing attention.

“You don’t look like your aunt.” His voice was deep and smooth and rattled her already frayed nerves. The drive had been long, it was getting late and she was tired and hungry. The very last things she needed right now were to deal with a man that reeked machismo and everything his searing gaze implied.

She needed to escape, but somehow, she managed to be polite. “No, sir. I favor my father’s side of the family.” She wanted to put space between them and hoped the small inflection she put on the word ‘sir’ would do the trick.

Right after the slightly accented word came from her lips, her hand was dropped, but his intense scrutiny didn’t leave her.

“What’s your last name?” he asked.

“Ruiz.”

“Hispanic.” It wasn’t a question.

She replied automatically. “Si.”

“Home from where?”

“School.”

“College?”

“Yes.”

The need to know her age was paramount. “What year?”

“First year.”

Raul felt a deep hit of disappointment when he received that answer. She was just a baby. And he needed to remember it.

“What are you studying?”

“Nursing.”

“What school?”

“University of Texas.” She elaborated, “San Antonio.”