Tempting the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 8)

“Always the gentleman.” She chews on her lip as I move to the driver’s side.

“You don’t have to take care of me. I’m grown,” Ivy states on the way to my house.

I nod. “I know you are. Which means you’re also old enough to know better.”

“Oh please, you can’t tell me you didn’t sneak a few drinks before you turned twenty-one.”

“I did, but not without consequences.”

She lifts a brow. “Sounds scandalous.”

I chuckle. “Oh, sweet Ivy, the stories I could tell you.”

“You should.” She doesn’t take her eyes off me.

“Maybe some other time.”

When we pull into my driveway, I help her out of the truck. When she wrapped her arm around my waist, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I liked the way her touch felt. As quickly as possible, I unlock the door and lead her to the living room.

“You good?” I ask, turning on the lamp.

“Yeah,” she says breathlessly. Ivy’s palms rest on my cheek, and seconds later, she’s leaning in to kiss me. Quickly, I pull away, but not because I want to. No, I want to wage war with her tongue and devour her mouth, but she’s not in the right state of mind. When I kiss her, I want her to be completely sober.

“Ivy,” I whisper when she meets my gaze with disappointment. I want to give in. I fucking want to. “I can’t.”

Instead of being upset, she laughs. “Is it because you slept with my sister?”

The words tumble out of her mouth like a dust storm in West Texas, and it shocks me. Something that doesn’t happen often.

“Absolutely not.” I search her face. “How did you know about that?”

“Everyone heard about it, Kane. Rumors fly ’round here like songbirds. So it’s true?”

Adrenaline courses through me, but I refuse to lie to her. “It happened, but it was a long time ago, and all that is in the past.”

“Thanks for admitting it, even though I don’t really care about it. I know you aren’t in love with my sister.”

“I’m not,” I admit. “I don’t think I ever was. It was just a thing that happened.”

“And I respect that,” she says, not shocked. While it should be weird to talk about this with her, it’s not. There’s nothing accusatory about her tone. She treats it like what it is—something that happened in the past.

Ivy wobbles on her feet, and I lead her to the couch. I grab the extra blankets and pillow like I did before, then give her another T-shirt to wear. She puts it to her nose and inhales, then lets out a sigh. “You just always smell so good.”

“Not a compliment I’m used to gettin’,” I admit.

“That’s a pity.” She grabs the bottom of her shirt, and I turn my head. My cock hardens as she throws her shirt, bra, and jean shorts in a pile. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s teasing me on purpose and testing every bit of willpower I have. While she gets settled, I make her a tall glass of ice water. I return and set it on the coffee table.

“Drink as much as that as you can so you don’t feel like total shit tomorrow,” I explain as she looks up at me from the couch.

“Thank you. I will. Good night, Kane.”

“Night, Ivy.” I hold her gaze for a few more seconds, then turn off the lights and go straight to the shower. It’s not the first time she’s made me hard as fuck, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

I stand under the stream, roughly stroking my cock to thoughts of her until I desperately come with the faint taste of her lips on mine. If she hadn’t been drinking, I’d for damn sure have kissed her until the sun rose.

CHAPTER NINE

IVY

When I roll over, I immediately realize where I am. A glass of water sits on the table next to a bottle of over-the-counter pain meds. Kane predicted I’d have a raging hangover, and damn, he was right. Drinking was the stupidest idea I’ve had all year.

I see the clothes I wore to the Fourth of July party on the floor and notice I’m wearing another one of his shirts. Hopefully, he realizes I’ll be keeping this one too. The other shirt hasn’t been washed yet, but his scent has unfortunately dissipated. It’s okay because the memories of him giving it to me live rent-free in my head.

Just as I grab two pills and gulp them down, Kane comes from the hallway wearing a pair of black joggers. They sit haphazardly on his hips, and I can’t help but linger on his abs. Kane looks good enough to eat, and I’d love to lick him from head to toe.

“Mornin’. How’re ya feelin’?”

“Go ahead. I’m waiting for a big fat I told ya so.”