Staking His Claim (Ranchers of Chatum County 1)

Shock held her immobile as he lifted his hand away from her face and moved back from her, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall again, tension pouring off his body in waves.

She swallowed hard and knew she was trembling, but couldn’t manage to get the constriction in her throat to go away.

Her silence was evidently all the answer he needed.

“Get your purse. And get a jacket, too. It’s cold out,” his menacing voice made the innocuous words sound like a threat.

She licked her lips. This was it.

She knew this was it. Raul was about to take her away from here, strip her naked and claim her virginity. Her body trembled. She was seriously about to lose her virginity. To Raul Vega.

“Where—where are we going?” She asked the question anyway, even though she already knew the answer.

“We’re taking a drive.”

She closed her eyes as the defining moment washed over her.

She slowly opened them and watched him leaning against the wall, waiting on her. “Are you mad at me?” She knew he was.

“Yep,” he answered succinctly.

She shivered at his one-syllable response as a chill went through her, but she didn’t budge from her spot in front of him. “I don’t want to go, Raul. I’ve seen—I’ve seen you mad before, and I don’t like it.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.” The frown line between his brows deepened, and he looked like he was trying to temper his voice. “Go on now and get your purse. I’m ready to leave.”

“Maybe you should go on without me. We can talk tomorrow.” She tried to placate him with the suggestion.

It didn’t work.

He pushed off the wall, prowled over to her, and crowded her back against the doorframe. Towering over her, he invaded her space and leaned his weight on his forearms, on either side of her head.

He reached one hand down and lifted her chin up until her eyes were glued to his. Her breath became shaky. His voice was low but firm when he spoke. “We got shit to work out between us, Elaina. But it’s all real simple. You either want me, or you don’t.”

He held her chin as her breath came harder. She blinked up at him, but still didn’t speak as she waited for him to continue.

“As for me—I guess it’s pretty damn obvious I want you. I’ve been wanting you bad since the night we met, five, six weeks ago.” His thumb reached out and swept across her bottom lip. “I admit I’ve been an asshole a lot of that time, but that’s ‘cause I was trying to stay the hell away from you. I didn’t like that—didn’t like that shit at all. Now somewhere along the line, we had a miscommunication.” His voice became acerbic. “See, I thought you were a teenager all this time. But you’re not, are you?”

His words stopped and he waited until she softly shook her head.

“No, you’re not,” he agreed with her silent answer. “You’re twenty-two now. Have I told you happy birthday yet?”

Her head jerked up and down, just once.

He continued, “Yeah, well, I think it’s more like happy birthday to me. You know what I mean? Now, here’s the deal. I’ve told you I’m not going to hurt you. We’re just going to sail right past the age thing and continue on as we mean to go forward.” His calloused thumb swiped across her lip again. “And I mean to go forward with you in my bed. All you have to do is decide if that’s what you want, too. See what I mean? Very simple, baby.”

Elaina tried to get a grip on her emotional state, and to think calmly about what he was saying. Her nerves clanged silently in her eardrums. As much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn’t. He was right. He was still pissed, but he was right. All she had to do was decide if she wanted him or not.

It was really no decision at all. Or if it was, she’d already made it, unconsciously.

She licked her lips, sucked in a sustaining breath and opened her mouth to speak. “I want you, Raul.” She felt a vibration go through his body as he leaned in closer to her. “I know you’re pissed at me. Maybe I deserve it, maybe I don’t. But you need to remember a couple of things,” she remonstrated as her voice grew stronger. “Yeah, I’m twenty-two. But you’re still a shit-ton older than me. How old are you, anyway?”

“Thirty,” he gritted out between clenched teeth.

“Yeah. Eight years older. So, okay, I’m not as young as you thought I was. But I didn’t lie earlier. I’m still a virgin. That hasn’t changed,” she reminded him tartly, her words coming to a momentary halt as he gripped her more tightly. She looked down at his fingers fisted around her and then back to his face. “Yeah, so why don’t you think on that for a bit and calm the hell down some while I go get my things.”

She pushed away from his arms and turned toward her bedroom.

****