Fierce (Wolf Ranch 5)

“Okay back there?” Levi asked, startling me from my thoughts.

I set my hand on my racing heart and glanced at him. He was studying me closely, as if he could read my thoughts. I gave him a fake smile, nodded, then followed.

The bunkhouse was close to the stable, just across a grassy field. Levi led me inside and upstairs to where the rooms opened onto a balcony at one end and a shared bathroom was at the other. We’d cut through a living area downstairs that two other bedrooms opened to. I’d caught sight of a big kitchen and rec room with a ping pong table and foosball. I could see why Clint mentioned it was a space for guys, with simple decor and large furniture for large men. I guessed there were six bedrooms although I wasn’t sure how many were occupied.

“You’ll be right here.” Levi pushed open a door to a plain but clean room with a neatly made single bed, a dresser and nightstand with a reading lamp. He managed my heavy suitcases with total ease, the muscles of his arms flexing impressively as he lifted them onto the bed.

I turned to him, looked him over as he set my stuff down. He was big, with mammoth shoulders and a broad chest. Big enough to make me feel small, and I was plenty tall. Under the cowboy hat, his eyes appeared to be aqua and the bit of hair peeking out looked sandy blond. He had scruff on his face, like he hadn’t shaved since yesterday, adding to the rugged cowboy look. He seemed intense yet quiet, which reminded me a little of myself.

Although I wasn’t ever called intense. I was uptight. Yeah, a woman always wanted to be that. No wonder I was still a dang virgin at thirty. Who wanted to fuck the uptightedness out of a woman? Not Levi, surely. I couldn’t imagine he was short of female attention with those roped forearms and sturdy thighs. I had to wonder if he was big all over.

I blinked, surprised by my ridiculous thoughts. I cleared my throat.

“Thank you. Levi, was it?” I asked that, even though I knew his name. I doubted I’d ever forget it.

I stepped back to let him pass, but the room was so small, he ended up brushing close—close enough for me to catch the scent of leather, horse and hay. To see the sheen of sweat on his skin, to know he put in an honest day of hard work and wasn’t afraid to get dirty.

Close enough to make my pulse pick up speed at his raw masculinity.

The image of him picking me up and throwing me on the bed slammed into my brain, and I took another quick step backward. God, I was behaving like I was in heat, just like Seraphina. The mare who I’d completely forgotten in the back of the trailer. I wasn’t the one here to get fucked.

“Levi, yes.” His deep voice seemed to snake underneath my clothes, undressing me with their quiet reverberation as his gaze raked over me. “Sorry if we were awkward back there. You just took us by surprise. We didn’t expect the arriving vet to be quite so…”

I arched my brows. “Quite so, what?”

“Beautiful.” His face broke into a friendly smile that eased some of the tension in my chest. Despite my resolve to never get involved with anyone at work—even though Cooper Valley was hundreds of miles from work—I found myself more than a little attracted to this giant of a man.

Was it warm in here?

Instead of fanning myself, I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t going to fall for his come-on. I wasn’t the hook-up with the ranch hand type, especially not five minutes after my arrival.

Sadly, I wasn’t the hook-up with anyone type. I’d tried it, but… yeah, that hadn’t worked out since we hadn’t gotten much past first base. Once Levi found out I had a loudly ticking biological clock and that if he wanted to get his dick in me he’d have to punch my V-card, he’d bolt faster than a wild mustang.

Which was fine because I was here to get away from Dax and the crap going down at Mr. Claymore’s stables. I hoped being two states away would be a good break from the little shit’s threats.

“What’s your role here at the ranch?” I asked. I’d spoken to Clint and Rob Wolf by phone and email to organize the breeding visit, but that was all.

“I’m a part-time ranch hand. I do everything from fix broken fences to birth calves.” He tips his hat back. “I’m also the acting sheriff of Cooper Valley.”

My smile slipped, and my stomach plummeted. “Sheriff?” I whispered then cleared my throat. “You’re not wearing a uniform.”

He lifted a brow. “Glad you noticed what I’m wearing, doll. I’m not working today.”