A Rancher's Desire (7 page)

“Uh...I’m kind of scared to ask.” She sounded breathless and he heard the moan she tried to hold off when he trailed his mouth up her neck and nipped a spot under her chin.

“And why is that?” Julian rasped as he leaned back to look into her eyes.

“Because, it might be the same thing that’s been driving me crazy for the past few weeks.” Then her gaze focused solely on his mouth and he couldn’t take it anymore. Every ounce of control that he’d recently held snapped.

He gently gripped her forearms and pulled her into his chest. Aiyanna’s nostrils flared. Her eyes searching his for the confirmation that he was about to catapult them into what they both desperately wanted.

Their first kiss.

Aiyanna had been waiting on this for what felt like years. She’d held off from taking any sudden steps with Julian; too afraid that once they crossed the line of sharing their bodies that she would inevitably share her heart and she wasn’t ready for that yet.

But every time he touched her—even in the simplest of caresses—Aiyanna wanted to give him
everything.
That’s what made this all so scary. Four weeks and Julian had her feeling like something was wrong in her day if she didn’t talk to him.

And when she got near him, that stormy gaze watching her every move, she felt exposed; naked from one simple look. He stripped away every inhibition she had with just one glance and was slowly disassembling the wall that she’d built around her heart, brick by brick.

Sometimes she caught the childlike side of Julian through his need to please, to be accepted. There was a hesitation anytime he did something sweet for her. His head would bow and he’d get this sheepish look on his face as if he thought she wouldn’t accept whatever gesture he’d made. His thoughtfulness and the gentle way he handled her were the things that made him the most attractive.

Julian’s heart was big. Aiyanna knew it simply from the way he took care of her. Every moment in his presence was a moment to feel appreciated and he made damn sure of that.

So when his mouth swooped down on hers, his tongue pushing between her lips, Aiyanna didn’t hesitate to return the kiss. A growl rumbled up from his chest as his hands went from her arms to her shoulders then trailed down her back before settling on both halves of her ass.

It fit his huge hands perfectly. Something he seemed to agree on since he squeezed it and pulled the apex of her thighs closer to the huge bulge in his jeans. Julian’s mouth finally left hers and Aiyanna dragged in a gasp of air as his lips nibbled her earlobe then he whispered, “Do you know how many nights I stayed up stroking myself? Imagining what it would feel like to kiss you here?” His hand slid up her body to stroke his thumb across her bottom lip then trailed it downwards, encircling one hard nipple. “Or here.” His hand went lower and he cupped her pussy through her jeans. Aiyanna’s head dropped back as he said, “Or here.”

Julian’s voice dipped lower with every word spoken; each one now coming out in a deep rasp that sent shivers down her spine. “I don’t even have to be near you. Just the simple thought of you makes me hard.” He placed one of her hands over his heartbeat allowing her to feel how fast it had begun to hammer. Julian slowly dragged it downward until he wrapped her palm around his length.

His forehead pressed to hers and he groaned when she squeezed his cock. Before Aiyanna knew it, his lips crashed down on hers again; the kiss more demanding than it had been minutes ago. Julian’s mouth didn’t just stop there. Within seconds he had her shirt up and her bra pulled down, his tongue twirling around the hard peak of her nipple.

“Ju-Julian...someone might see...” She tried to push at his shoulders but he just latched on harder, making her cry out.

He growled again as one hand found the button and zipper on her jeans before his fingers tunneled inside and stroked the now soaked lips of her pussy. His middle finger flicked her clit and Aiyanna’s back bowed, her mouth dropping open in a silent scream. And when he turned two digits and thrust them into her moist heat, she came instantly; shuddering and panting as she slumped against him.

Julian’s hands shook as he managed to re-button and zip Aiyanna’s jeans. His mind and body were in nothing but turmoil and it was his own damn fault. He should’ve never kissed her, least of all out in the open where one of the ranch hands could’ve seen. Backing away, he bit the inside of his cheek and desperately tried to ignore the throbbing in his cock when his gaze noticed how swollen her lips were and how her brown eyes were glazed over; the rise and fall of her chest matching the panting breaths that were leaving his body.

Jesús.
Julian had to get some modicum of self control and do it quickly before he fucked her like the look in her eyes was begging him to. He promised himself he wouldn’t push her and he broke that promise. Looking down, he focused on the tips of his boots as he stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans to stop himself from reaching for her again.

“I’m sorry,” Julian said softly.

Aiyanna was quiet for so long that he looked up at her again. That familiar frown line rested between her brows. “For kissing me or touching me?” she questioned just as softly.

“Both,” he answered then watched her face fall. Julian smacked himself in the forehead. “That did not come out the way it was supposed to,
Hermosa.”

She snorted but sounded far from amused. “Yeah...okay.” Her arms folded across her chest and she closed her eyes.

Julian clenched his jaw. She was shutting him out again. “Aiyanna—”

She turned away from him. “Can you take me back now?”

“Aiyanna—”

“
Please?”

He yanked his hat off in frustration. Now he’d have to spend the thirty minute walk calling himself every kind of name that he could think of. Slamming the Stetson back on his head, he walked up behind Aiyanna and clicked his tongue once. Shadow came trotting up from where he’d wandered off to and Julian lifted Aiyanna’s tense body, sitting her back on the horse.

She may have been pissed off with him but he damn sure wasn’t about to watch her walk when she didn’t have to. For a second, she looked down at him and her face softened. Julian stared back, hopeful, but Aiyanna looked away again; the muscle in her jaw jumping.

Sighing, Julian gripped the reins and started off, wondering how he was going to fix this one.

Chapter Six

“Wait, wait, wait.” Lalani waved her hands to stem the flow of words leaving Aiyanna’s mouth. “He said he was
sorry?”

Aiyanna bit off a mouthful of her burger. She and Lalani had decided to stay in all weekend, stuffing themselves like Luau pigs and watching movies that made them want to find men and beat them.

“Yup.” She nodded and sucked down some beer.

“But...
why?”

Aiyanna shrugged. “I don’t have the slightest idea. One minute it’s like he has eight hands at once—which I don’t think I’d be particularly objective to after this one time—and the next, he can’t snatch ’em away fast enough.”

Lalani looked so confused that it almost made Aiyanna smile...almost. “But...
why?”

“In the last five seconds from the first time you asked me that question,” Aiyanna leaned into her friend, “I
still
don’t know.”

“Okay, it was obvious he wanted to fuck you right?”

“Judging from the sudden branch of oak that sprouted from his loins, I would concur.”

Lalani blinked and shook her head. “Can’t you just say he was hard like a normal person?”

“Have you ever known me to be normal?
Really?”

“No, not even when we first met and that saddens me because you’re not supposed to flash your crazy to the first person who’ll look.”

“Some days, I question why I never tried to push you off a cliff.”

“Because you need my logic and wisdom.”

Aiyanna started laughing and couldn’t stop until she noticed that Lalani hadn’t joined in. “Oh...you’re serious.”

Her friend took the throw pillow she’d been resting on and bopped Aiyanna on the head with it twice. “That was me trying to knock some since into you.” She did it again. “And that was just for fun.”

“You can be such an asshole.”

“I know but that’s beside the point.”

“I think we lost the point five minutes ago when you talked about my lack of sanity.”

Lalani nodded. “Yes, now I’m going to clue you in on something that you probably haven’t considered as of yet because you have these Forest Gump moments sometimes and I have to reel you back in.”

Aiyanna opened her mouth and Lalani held up a hand. “You mention shrimp and that’s your ass, King.”

She clamped her mouth shut and sat back with a sigh. Waving a hand she went, “Okay, clue me in on yourself proclaimed wisdom.”

“Have you ever stopped to think that Julian is holding off on the bed charades because he doesn’t want you to think that
all
he wants from you is sex?”

“I don’t know what’s scarier; the fact that what you just said made sense or the fact that what you just said made sense.”

“Those facts were the same thing.”

Aiyanna nodded. “Yeah, I know. Either way I’m fucked if suddenly out of the twenty years that I’ve known you, this is the
first
time something you said actually makes me believe you do have
some
logic.”

“Fuck you.”

“Julian’s job,” Aiyanna sang.

“Not if he doesn’t stop with his sudden vow of celibacy,” Lalani sang back.

“Facts and examples, Lalani. I asked you for neither.” Despite her teasing, what her friend suggested actually had some merit. She’d been hurt yesterday when Julian had pulled back so quickly but now it was a little bit clearer. He’d been more than ready to take her, Aiyanna had seen it in his eyes yet he’d stopped. Why? Because when they’d first met she told him that she wasn’t interested in being a playmate. Now what?

She was horny and didn’t exactly know how to ask for what she wanted. Playing games was never really something that interested her and she couldn’t exactly grab his dick and make demands. Could she?