Curves and the Rancher (7 page)

Cassie used the
interruption to wriggle off him and remove the rest of her garments.
She
’
d been so caught up in their
lovemaking that she hadn
’
t even
realized that she still wore clothes.

Only once she
’
d
undressed did she realize her naked body was on display. She looked
shyly at Luke, catching her bottom lip with her teeth.

“
You
’
re
gorgeous, sweetheart.
”
He held out a
hand to her and she clasped her fingers in his, joining him back on
the bed. Kneeling above him, she
’
d
never felt so aroused or sexy before.

“
Are
you sure about this, Cassie?
”
Heated
shivers stole through her at Luke’s gentle voice.
“
You
have no idea how much I want you, but I don
’
t
want to rush you.
”

The raw need in his eyes
told her in no uncertain terms how he hungered for her.

“
I
’
m
sure.
”
Emboldened by his desire for
her, she kissed him softly, then started to lower herself upon him.
Her slick folds teased the tip of him and his hands clasped her hips,
helping her fit herself to him.

Cassie gasped once he was
fully inside. She felt so full, so complete. Luke started to move
slowly and she adjusted to his rhythm, loving this position. She
gazed into his eyes as they moved together, each thrust becoming
faster and harder.

Her secret nub throbbed
with need as the friction of each stroke made her want more - and
more. Luke grasped her hips more firmly as he surged into her, over
and over. Finally, she cried out, her whole body quaking with
ecstasy.

He thrust into her three
more times, spasming inside her with a muffled shout.

Cassie collapsed onto his
chest, unable to speak. She
’
d never
experienced love-making like that before.
Luke
’
s
arms tightened around her as they lay there, catching their breath.

She finally stirred,
attempting to wriggle off him.
“
Hey,
where are you going?
”
He caressed
her hips.

Cassie couldn
’
t
believe that after what they had just shared, she could feel heat
creeping along her cheeks.
“
I don
’
t
want to be too heavy,
”
she mumbled,
trying to hide her face in his neck.

“
You
’
re
beautiful, Cassie.
”
He lifted up her
chin, gazing
into
her eyes.
“
I love your figure just
the way it is.
”
He pressed a firm
kiss across her lips.

Cassie smiled, all her
feelings for him wrapped up in a slow, seductive kiss that she hoped
would make
his
toes curl.

She giggled against his
lips as a few seconds later, he flipped her over, taking control of
the kiss as if he were never going to let her go. Ever.

Cassie sighed and wrapped
her arms around his back. If she hadn
’
t
already been in love with Luke before tonight, she knew for a fact
that she was now.

###

Cassie hummed under her
breath as she transferred the last remaining money from her old bank
account in Seattle to the new one she
’
d
opened in Coldwater Springs. The last two weeks had been the most
incredible of her life. Ever since they had made love for the first
time, she and Luke were seeing each other whenever they could.
Cassie spent a few nights each week at his place, as well as on
weekends. She
’
d also gotten more
accounts work, which meant she
’
d had
to cut down on her shifts at the diner. Although she missed Betty
and the customers at the diner a little, it was wonderful not to have
aching, tired feet every day.

When she had bashfully
told Sarah and Libby about Luke, Libby hadn
’
t
been able to wipe the grin off her face.
“
Told
you!
”
she
’
d
crowed.
“
Maybe I should become the
town matchmaker.
”

“
There
’
s
a frightening thought,
”
Sarah teased,
before the discussion eventually turned back to her wedding that was
taking place in a week
’
s time.

These days, Cassie didn
’
t
often think about her old life in Seattle. When she did, it was to
wonder how she could have been taken in by Phillip in the first
place. In hindsight, she saw the signs that he was a controlling and
potentially abusive man. But at the time, she
’
d
been so flattered by his attentions she hadn
’
t
wanted to look past his surface charm - charm that vanished once
she
’
d moved in with him.

But Luke was totally
different. A dreamy smile played on her lips. They
’
d
only been together officially for two weeks, but what she really
wanted to do was tell him that she loved him. But was it too soon?
And what did he really feel for her?

Their sex life was
amazing, and she knew he desired her. He told her repeatedly,
through actions and words. And she always felt so safe and protected
in his presence as well. With Luke, she felt a sense of completeness
that she
’
d never experienced before.

Cassie turned off her
laptop and got ready for a morning shift at the diner. She had some
accounts work to do after lunch, and then she was going to have
dinner with Luke at the ranch and stay overnight. Her body tingled
at the thought of seeing him tonight, of his lips on hers, his hands
roaming over her body, his husky whispers telling her just how much
he wanted her
…

She smiled to herself,
running a brush through her shoulder-length hair.
“
Yep,
I
’
ve got it bad,
”
she murmured to her reflection in the mirror.

###

“
Cassie,
coffee for the blond stranger.
”
Betty gestured to the end booth.

As she approached the
man, Cassie flashed back to the day she thought Phillip had posed as
a customer, and the freak-out she
’
d
experienced. But if that hadn
’
t
happened, she mused, then maybe she and Luke wouldn
’
t
have gotten together.

Cassie set down the tray,
half her mind on Luke, and half on delivering the coffee.
“
Here
you…
”
her words trailed off
as she got a good look at the stranger in the booth.

Phillip.

“
Hello,
Cassie.
”

She stared at her
ex-boyfriend, her hands frozen on the tray. His patrician features
looked exactly the same - aquiline nose, cold green eyes and
thin-lipped mouth.

“
I
never thought you
’
d end up in a dump
like this, but then again, I didn
’
t
think you
’
d be so stupid as to leave
me.
”

Her first thought was to
flee. Her second thought was to pour the hot coffee on his lap.
“
H-how - how did you find me?
”
Her mouth felt like sandpaper.

His barbs came flooding
back to her.
Are you sure you should be eating that? Your hips
don
’
t need any extra
flesh. Why are you so clumsy? How simple can it be to make me a cup
of coffee?

Phillip smirked.
“
I
asked my friend at the bank to tell me when there was any activity in
your account. So when you transferred money from your old bank
account to your new one, I knew exactly where you were.
”

Cassie closed her eyes.
She
’
d been so sure that it was safe
to use her old bank account again. When Phillip hadn
’
t
appeared in Coldwater Springs in the first two months she
’
d
been here, she
’
d assumed he had no
interest in tracking her down.

“
So
pack your bags and we can get back to Seattle tonight,
”
he said smoothly.
“
Oh, and you
’
ll
be pleased to know that I
’
ve spoken
to Sanderson and you can have your old job back at the firm. I was
even able to get him to sweeten the deal. Once old man Smythe
retires in six months, his job is yours. You
’
ll
be head of your department.
”

She shook her head.
Once, the thought of being head of her department at twenty-seven
would have delighted her. But since she
’
d
gotten away from the large accounting firm and the city streets, she
realized she
’
d never been comfortable
with the backstabbing and bitchy gossip that was an everyday
occurrence in that workplace.

She
’
d
rather work full-time here, at the diner, than back at Sanderson
’
s.
Even if she hadn
’
t met Luke
,
she
liked working at the diner a lot more than at an accounting firm
where people climbed up the corporate ladder with steel-capped shoes.

“
No,
Phillip.
”
She was pleased with how
firm her voice sounded.

He spoke as if he hadn
’
t
heard her.
“
And I
’
ve
booked an appointment with the top diet coach in Seattle for next
week. There
’
s just no excuse for you
not being as slim as all the other women out there.
”
He waved a well-tended hand toward the window, as if there were
hordes of sylph-like women walking past the diner.

“
No.
”
She put the cup of coffee on the table and picked up the tray.
“
Goodbye, Phillip.
”

She turned to leave.
Phillip
’
s arm shot out, his fingers
clamping around her wrist.
“
Did you
hear me, Cassie? I
’
ve decided to
forgive you and you can move back in with me.
”

“
Cassie?
”
Betty hurried over to the booth.
“
Is
this man bothering you?
”

“
Not
anymore.
”
She shook off Phillip
’
s
grasp.
“
This is Phillip, my
ex-boyfriend.
”
She took a deep
breath.
“
And he was just leaving.
”
Cassie stared unflinchingly at Phillip. What had she ever seen in
him?

“
Come
on, Cassie.
”

Phillip reached for her
again and she stepped back. She didn
’
t
want him to touch her ever again.
“
No,
Phillip.
”
Her heart hammered, but
her voice remained steady. Standing up to Phillip wasn
’
t
quite as hard as she thought it would be.

“
What
do you mean, no?
”
he demanded
.
“
Have you met someone else? I
wouldn
’
t have thought that the
two-bit cowboys around here would be your style. Or have you decided
to go slumming?
”

“
Now,
you look here--
”
Betty started to
say.

“
It
’
s
over, Phillip.
”
Cassie
’
s
cheeks burned with indignation. How dare he insult Luke! She
straightened her shoulders.
“Find someone else to
manipulate.”

“
You
’
re
making a big mistake, Cassie.
”
Ferocity etched his face.

“
You
heard her.
”
Betty waved her hands in
the air as if he were a troublesome dog.
“
Now
shoo!
”

“
Cassie!
”
Luke entered the diner, hastening his stride as he took in the scene
at the end booth.
“
Are you okay?
”