Staking His Claim (Ranchers of Chatum County 1)

He jerked from her last sentence. “Trample you? What the hell, Elaina?”

“Honestly? This isn’t just sex. You want a relationship. And I’m okay with that as long as it’s two ways. Equality.”

His lips thinned and his frown deepened, but he didn’t try to deny what she was saying. “So, again, I’m asking you—what do you want?” he hissed out.

“I want to take some time to get to know you. I’ll stay here. I’m not saying we won’t—have sex. I’m just saying I need to go to bed at night here. Wake up here. It’s too soon to start staying with you, and I don’t want to fight about it every time we see each other.”

“You’re putting me on a goddamn trial?”

“Do you want to give me what I need to feel comfortable with you?”

“Yes,” he blistered between grinding teeth.

“It’s not you that’s on trial,” she tried to soothe. “It’s us.”

He jerked her to him and her hands fell helplessly to his chest. “We’ll play it your way for a while. I’ll give you space. But it is a relationship, Elaina. You can argue fucking semantics with me all night long. But this little body you got going on,” he gripped her with one hand while he ran his other up and down the curve of her waist, “it is mine. That’s not up for debate. You understand me?”

His hand fell between them and landed on a breast and squeezed. His eyes glittered down at her, challenging her.

Her heartbeat escalated and her voice froze as his thumb swiped back and forth across her nipple. His grip tightened and he gave her a slight shake as he demanded her acquiescence.

She swallowed hard. “Yes, she whispered in submission, and his mouth fell on hers.

****

Elaina came back to the present and reached for a towel as she climbed from the bathtub. Had she gotten through to him? Had she made him understand?

Really, only time would tell.

As for herself; she knew, she wanted him. What they had was intense, and she was old enough to realize that what they shared might not ever come around in her lifetime again.

But it had to be right.

His masculinity was fearsome. There was no doubt that was what she found so exciting about him. But it was also what scared her the most.

She hoped and prayed it could work out. The sex had been addictive. Crazy. Crazy addictive. She could happily go her whole life with only him as a lover. If—

If they could find a happy medium.

Again, only time would tell.

Thank God, she had a lot of time to make it work.

****

Elaina spent the day cleaning up after the party alongside her aunt. Janie gave her several probing looks but never asked any questions.

It was still too new for her to talk about, so Elaina didn’t offer any details.

They spent a pleasant day together regardless.

Her cell phone rang at six o’clock that evening and she answered on the second ring. She knew by the display it was Raul. “Hello?”

He cut to the chase. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, right now.”

“Have you eaten?”