The Rancher Returns (11 page)

Twelve

W
hen Gavin placed Layla on the bed she looked up at him and saw eyes filled with intense desire gazing down at her. She'd meant what she said about going to bed with him. But he might not feel the same way after she said what she had to say.

“We need to talk first, Gavin.”

He pulled her sweater over her head. “Okay, I'm listening.”

Was he really? Or was he concentrating on undressing her? “A while back you asked me when I last did this. Do you remember that conversation?”

Her sweater was off and his swift hands went to the front clasp of her bra. Within seconds he had her breasts tumbling free. She watched his eyes get smoky as he stared at her nipples, which hardened as he watched. When he brushed against one with a feathery stroke of his fingertips, she drew in a sharp breath.

“Yes, I remember that conversation,” he said in a husky voice, stroking her other breast as if fascinated with its size and shape. “What about it?”

Layla had to think a minute to remember the conversation. His hands were driving her insane. And when he began stroking her nipples in earnest, it created a throbbing ache in her center. She couldn't help but moan.

“Layla?”

“Um?”

“What about the conversation?”

What conversation
? Her brain was turning to mush and she fought hard to recall what he was talking about. Then she remembered. “Are you ready for an answer to the question you asked?”

“Doesn't matter now.”

And before she could draw in another breath, he lowered his head and eased a rigid nipple between his lips. He sucked hard, feasting in earnest. Greedily. Ravenously. At the same time, he eased the hem of her skirt toward her waist.

And then he pushed aside her panties to ease fingers inside of her. The moment she felt the intimate invasion, she shuddered in pleasure. How could his mere touch do that? Make her come so unglued? Make her feel like a woman?

And when those same fingers stroked her down there, with the same rhythm his tongue was using to suck on her nipples, she moaned aloud.

“That's it. Get all wet for me, baby. Your scent has been driving me mad for days now. I can't wait to taste you.”

She wasn't sure what he meant. All she knew was Gavin Blake had fingers that should be considered illegal and a mouth that should be banned. Using both, and at the same time, should be forbidden.

Sensation gathered force in her stomach and when he sucked harder on her breasts, while at the same time inserting his fingers deeper inside of her, she could not bear the pleasure any longer. Her body began to shake with the need for release. A climax ripped through her body. On instinct, she threw her head back and screamed his name.

“Now for my taste.”

Before she realized what Gavin was doing, he had pulled off her skirt and tossed it aside along with her panties. Before she could ask what he thought he was doing, he lifted her hips to his mouth and firmly settled his head between her legs.

Layla tried pushing him away—until the moment she felt his tongue ease between her womanly lips. He kissed her down there the same way he'd kissed her on the mouth. Deeply. Thoroughly.

She stopped pushing him away. Instead she grabbed his shoulders and held on. Held him. She needed him to stay right there and continue what he was so expertly doing. When she felt his tongue delve deeper inside, flicking back and forth, her body shattered into what felt like a million pieces.

“Gavin!”

He didn't let up. He continued using his mouth to drive her over the edge yet again. Never had she experienced anything so powerful. So utterly amazing. For a minute she thought she had passed out. Maybe she had. She was completely drained. Limp. Too weak to move. So she lay there, nearly convinced she had died and gone to heaven. Surely there was nothing on earth that could make her feel this good. This satisfied.

She didn't move. She couldn't find the strength to open her eyes. Not even when she heard him remove his clothes before he pulled her boots and socks from her feet. Not even when his hands stroked her thighs and eased them apart.

And not even when she heard the sound of a condom packet being ripped open.

Moments later she heard Gavin's deep voice directly above her. “Open your eyes, baby. Look at me.”

Although her eyelids felt heavy, she somehow found the strength to force them open. Gavin's naked body was braced above hers and desire-filled eyes stared down at her. Was it her imagination or were his eyes getting even darker as she stared into them?

“I'm looking,” she said softly. Not only was she looking but she was being held in some sort of hypnotic trance.

“I wanted you this way from the first moment I set eyes on you.”

That was nice. And she was about to say something, she wasn't sure what, when she felt the hot tip of his erection press against the core of her womanhood.

Her gaze widened and she knew she needed to tell him. Now. “Gavin?”

He leaned in and kissed the words off her lips. Using that scandalizing tongue of his, he began driving her crazy. Instinctively her legs opened wider and she felt him pressing down gently, as he tried entering her body.

He broke off the kiss and stared down at her. She knew from his expression exactly when he realized the
something
she'd tried to tell him about. The
something
he'd said no longer mattered.

“You're a virgin,” he whispered in shock.

“Yes.” Would he change his mind? Would it matter? She swallowed and said quietly, “I'll understand if you no longer want me.”

Something flickered in his dark gaze. “Why wouldn't I still want you? Because you're a twenty-six-year-old virgin?”

When she nodded, he smiled and said, “Doesn't bother me if it doesn't bother you.”

That was the moment she knew she had fallen in love with Gavin. She had tried denying it, had even called herself several kinds of a fool for letting it happen. She'd never loved a man before, but she knew what her feelings were. For all the heartbreak it would cause when she left the ranch in a week or so, it didn't make much sense for her to love a man now. But her heart had declared Gavin was it and there was nothing she could do about it.

Making love with him seemed right in a way it had never been with any other man...which was the real reason why she had remained untouched all these years. Sex had never interested her. She had never been turned on by the mere thought of it. Things were different with Gavin. Even before she'd met him face-to-face, his pictures had done something to her. They had pretty much warned her of her fate but she'd refused to accept it until she'd welcomed him inside tonight.

“Layla?”

She held his gaze. “Doesn't bother me, either.”
Please don't ask me why I chose you. At least not now
.

He didn't ask her anything. Instead he kissed her before using his knee to widen her legs. And then she felt him, easing inside of her, inch by inch. He was big and she sucked in as he filled her deeply, her body stretching for his invasion. Her muscles clamped down—not to stop his journey but to make it even more sensuous for the two of them. He continued to ease deeper until there was no place left for him to go. He was fully embedded in her in a fit so snug and tight she couldn't tell where her body ended and his began.

When her muscles tightened even more, she actually felt his erection throb inside of her. “If you keep that up do you know what's going to happen?” He leaned in close to ask her.

“No.”

“It's going to make me want to do this.”

Then he began thrusting, gently, in a sensuous rhythm that drove her to lift her hips with his every downward stroke. When her inner muscles clenched him harder, he thrusted harder, with a steady fluid beat.

Too steady. Each stroke inside her body pushed her to a place she'd never been. He'd made her come using his mouth. But this was different. It was more intense. Insanely gratifying. And when he went faster, harder, deeper, she screamed his name as sensations washed over her. She clawed at his back, bucked upward to tighten her legs around him and lock their bodies together.

An intense explosion swept her away in an earth-shattering release. Although this might be the first time she'd made love with a man, she knew that this wouldn't be her last with Gavin.

* * *

That had been totally unreal, Gavin thought, a short while later as he lay flat on his back staring up at the ceiling. When had making love to a woman ever left him so physically sated and mentally drained? Hell, he was used to making out with women, sometimes all night long. And as a SEAL he was physically fit for all the rigors of combat. Yet, the woman sleeping beside him had practically drained him, made him weak as water with their first sexual encounter. How was that possible?

And she'd been a virgin. Gavin didn't have to wonder how that was possible, given her status in life. To accomplish what she'd accomplished at her age meant she'd made sacrifices. He'd suspected her experience with men had been limited, he just hadn't figured it to be nonexistent. Not that it bothered him. Normally, he preferred not to be any woman's first, but he was glad he'd been Layla's. The thought that no other man had been inside her body before him felt good, made him want to beat on his damn chest like a caveman. He'd branded Layla as his.

His?

Where in the hell had that thought come from? This was the second time he'd thought of her as being his woman. His. He needed to remind himself once again that he wasn't into possessiveness. He'd even participated in a ménage à trois a time or two during his college years. So the idea of laying claim to any woman didn't sit well with him. Sex was sex, no matter how good it was. No need to act crazy.

So why was he?

As he tilted his head to stare down at the woman sleeping peacefully beside him, he had to admit the sex had been better than good. Off the charts. He had studied her face when she'd come. Her expression had been utterly and incredibly spellbinding. Beautiful. Touching. She was such a passionate being it was hard to believe she'd held out for this long. Her presence on the Silver Spurs was the best luck he'd had in years. With sex that good she could dig up the entire damn ranch looking for whatever treasure she wanted. His treasure was right here with him in this bed.

Gavin frowned. He was thinking like a love-struck puppy, and he refused to go there. Isn't that what had happened to his father? He'd quickly fallen in love with a woman only to die of a broken heart in the end? Okay, it had been an enemy's bullet that had taken him out, but Gavin of all people knew of his father's heartache.

Layla shifted her weight. Her leg, which rested between his, touched his groin. Immediately, he got hard. His erection had no problem coming to life. He glanced over at the clock. It was almost two in the morning. He should leave but the thought of waking up beside her in the morning had an appeal he couldn't dismiss.

And then there was the temptation to wake her now and make love to her all over again. Move between her legs and slide inside of her. Go deep until he couldn't go anymore. Then he would thrust hard like he'd done before. Even harder since she was no longer a virgin. He even thought about how it would feel not to wear a condom. To blast off inside of her. Fill her with the very essence of him.

Now that was taking his imagination a little too far. He was a man who played it safe so he would never be sorry. Babies of any kind were not in his immediate future. So why did the thought of a daughter who would be a mini-Layla appeal to him? Make his erection even harder?

Gavin closed his eyes. He had to stop thinking with the wrong head. Doing so could get him in serious trouble. He couldn't let sexual feelings take control of his common sense no matter how wrapped up he wanted to get with the woman beside him. No matter how much inhaling her arousing scent was getting to him.

Shifting his body, he pulled Layla closer and let sleep overtake him.

Thirteen

T
he strong aroma of coffee woke Layla. She blinked, and then sluggishly realized where she was and what she'd done last night and with whom. If there had been any doubt in her mind about what had happened, all she had to do was tilt her head to gaze across the room to where a half-naked man lounged in the doorway holding a steaming cup of coffee.

Gavin
.

She blinked. Okay, since he was wearing jeans, he wasn't half-naked but half-dressed. Still, that was all he was wearing. And those jeans were riding low on his hips, making it pretty obvious just what a well-built body he had. His pose was picture perfect. He was the epitome of a sexy cowboy. A wealthy rancher. A scrumptious navy SEAL. How could one man exemplify all three and do it so well?

Her gaze roamed over him, from the top of his head all the way down to his bare feet. She'd paused when she'd seen that his zipper was undone. He'd either dressed quickly and hadn't bothered to zip up, or he had plans that included her so he'd figured why bother.

Those tantalizing thoughts made her recall last night. Her first time. And she knew without a doubt it had been worth the wait. She couldn't help it. Her gaze traveled the full length of him all over again. This time when her gaze settled on his midsection, she saw something she hadn't seen before. A huge erection. She drew in a deep breath and swore that it got bigger as she stared at it.

“Want some?”

She snatched her gaze from his groin up to his face. The smile that touched his lips was priceless and way too sexy for words. “What are you offering?” she asked.

“Whatever you want.”

Reluctantly, she broke eye contact with him to glance outside the bedroom window. It was still dark but she knew it would be daybreak soon. Her team would be arriving from town within an hour or so. Her gaze returned to his. “I should take the coffee, get up, shower and get dressed.”

“But...”

How had he known there was a
but
in there? “But I much prefer taking the man holding the coffee.”

His smile widened. “And the man holding the coffee doesn't have a problem with you taking him.”

Layla was only beginning to fully understand what heated lust was all about. “Did I tell you that last night I thought of myself as Viper Jr?”

He lifted a brow. “Viper Jr?”

“Yes. I set my sights on my target and went after what I wanted, and you, Gavin Blake, were my target.”

A wry grin split his lips. “Was I?”

She nodded. “I wanted you.”

“And I wanted you.”

Layla then saw a somewhat serious look appear in his eyes as he said, “How do you feel? I wanted you so much...because of that you're probably sore. You sure you're up to another ride this soon?”

Ride?
She inwardly chuckled. Yes, he'd definitely ridden her last night. And yes, she was sore from it. However, as far as she was concerned, he could ride the soreness away.

“I'm sure.”

“In that case.” Placing the coffee cup on a nearby table, he crossed the room to the bed. “But first I want to see something.” Before she could blink, he threw the bedcovers aside to expose her naked body.

Surprised, she scrambled to get back under the covers but he tossed them aside again. “No. Don't cover yourself. I just had to make sure I hadn't imagined anything. That you were as beautiful and delectable as I remembered. My mind didn't play tricks on me last night.”

His words touched her. Made her feel wonderful. Made her feel like a real woman who had sexual feminine powers over a man. And when she watched him lick his lips with the tip of his tongue, she couldn't help remembering just where that tongue had been and what it had done.

Recalling that part of their lovemaking sparked an ache between her legs. As if he knew what sensations were enthralling her and where, he slowly eased his jeans down his strong, muscular thighs. Just as she'd thought. The jeans were the only thing he'd been wearing. He hadn't bothered to put back on his briefs.

“Now for this.”

His words grabbed her attention and she watched him slide a condom over his erection. And boy was it large. How had it gotten inside of her last night? But he'd managed it and she knew he would again. This was the first time she'd seen a man prepare himself for sex. From the way he was doing it, it was obvious he was used to doing it.

“Ready?”

“Yes.” She drew in a deep breath. The ache between her legs had made her nipples harden like tight buds.

“We're going to try something different this morning. It will be easier on you and help with your soreness.”

In a way, she felt embarrassed engaging in such a conversation with him...about her body. But she pushed her discomfort aside. After last night—and all he'd done to her and how he'd done it—there was no room left for shame. “What?”

He smiled as he moved back toward the bed. “I want you to ride me.”

She swallowed. “Ride you?”

“Yes. Do you know how to ride?”

She nodded. “Yes. My parents own several horses.” And she'd ridden them often enough.

“Good. So show me what you know,” he said, lying back on the bed beside her, then lifting her over him. Just like that. As if she was weightless.

“I'll do my best,” she said, sliding into position. The long, hard length of his erection was like a rod, standing straight up, ready for her to mount. So she did. Widening her legs, she took him into her body. The hot texture of his male organ seemed to blaze her insides as she took him fully inside of her.

She watched his face, the same way she'd known he'd watched hers last night. Their gazes held. No words were spoken. This was all about feeling. And she felt him in each and every part of her body. Her muscles clenched around him. Holding tight. And then as if of one accord they shivered with a need they both felt.

“Okay Viper Jr. Ride me, baby. Hard.”

Gavin's words incited her to move up and down. She felt him grip the sides of her hips—to hold on to her, to guide her. Then, as if something elemental had taken control, she threw her head back and rode him hard.

What was happening to her? It was as if she'd lost control of her mind and her body. Having sex with Gavin this way, with her on top, riding him, sent an exhilarated feeling through her, one she couldn't explain.

When he leaned up and whispered naughty words in her ear, sinfully erotic words, she went mad with lust. She heard the bedsprings as she continued to ride. Each time her body came down against him, his came up to meet her.

Suddenly her quivering became uncontrollable and she felt her body explode into a thousand pieces. It was then that Gavin caught the back of her head with his hands and brought her mouth down to his, kissing her with a hunger that made her climax all over again.

Once again he came with her. She felt it. As their tongues continued to mingle, she knew that she loved him with a passion she would never rid herself of, no matter the distance between them. While she was here on the Silver Spurs, she intended to make memories that would last her long after she returned to Seattle.

* * *

“Well, how did your dinner date with the handsome rancher go? Did the two of you do the nasty, Dr. Harris?”

Layla didn't immediately look up from studying the soil samples. Tammy was the last person she wanted to talk to, but to ignore her student would be rude. Yet no student had the right to inquire how their professor spent their evening. Layla had always maintained a distance between herself and her students. Because of her age, she took pains to ensure they never lost sight of the fact that she was their professor. As far as she was concerned, Tammy's question was out of line and lacked respect.

Layla raised her head from the microscope and met Tammy's gaze. “I don't think that should be your concern, Tammy. Did you finish your report?” Layla knew she hadn't. Several students had brought it to her attention that Tammy was slacking. It seemed whenever there was hard work to do, Tammy had a tendency to disappear.

Tammy scrunched up her features. “No. And why do I have to be the one to do that report? Donnell has a lot of free time.”

“Only because Donnell has finished all his assignments. You haven't.”

A smile touched Tammy's lips. “Doesn't matter. I'll still ace this class.”

Layla frowned. “Not if you don't do your share of the work. And if you're not going to be a team player, I will have to replace you. There are several students who would love to be here.”

“Doesn't matter. They don't have the connections I have,” Tammy bragged. “I'm on this team, Dr. Harris, whether you want me here or not. I thought you understood that.”

Layla refused to get into a confrontation with a student. It was clear Tammy thought that being Dr. Clayburn's occasional bed partner meant she could do whatever she wanted. Wrong. Not on Layla's team. “The only thing I understand is that I expect you to carry your load. If you can't, then you're out of here.”

Tammy tossed her hair as a smirk touched her lips. “Wrong. You'll be out of here before I will. I'll make sure Mark...I mean Dr. Clayburn knows I'm being harassed.” She then turned and sulked as she walked out the door.

In frustration Layla rubbed her hand down her face. Tammy might be right. Layla wasn't one of Dr. Clayburn's favorite people and it was obvious the man was quite taken with Tammy. And Tammy knew it.

“She'll eventually hang herself and Dr. Clayburn. Don't waste your time worrying about her, Dr. Harris.”

Layla turned to find another one of her students, Donnell McGuire, standing in the doorway. Had he overheard her conversation with Tammy? Did he and the other students suspect something was going on between Tammy and Dr. Clayburn? The one thing Layla wouldn't do was discuss one student with another, no matter how much she wanted to sound off to someone about Tammy's atrocious attitude.

Before she could say anything, Donnell added, “And don't worry about that report Tammy hasn't done. I'll take care of it. I do have some free time.”

His words told Layla he
had
overheard her conversation with Tammy. “That assignment was given to Tammy, Donnell, and I expect her to do it. Besides, I have something else for you to do. I just got a call that the last of our supplies arrived at the post office in town. I need you to go pick them up. If everything looks good, we'll start digging by the end of the week.”

A huge smile touched Donnell's face. “Alright! I can't wait.” The young man rushed off to tell the others.

Layla chuckled at his enthusiasm. She would give anything for more students like Donnell who took being a team player seriously. He was a hard worker. Most of the students on this team were. Although being an archaeologist was Donnell's first love, she knew he was also good with a camera and had won a number of photo contests. At twenty-two he would be graduating in the spring with a major in archaeology and a minor in photography.

She refused to let Tammy put a damper on her day, especially when it had started off with the promise of being wonderful. She'd had such a wonderful night with Gavin. Then this morning, before the crack of dawn, she'd proven just what a great horsewoman she could be. Memories of what they'd shared still sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't help but blush. Being intimate with a man had never been anything she'd thought about until now...

She glanced at her watch. She had a full day planned here on-site and then Gavin had invited her to dinner again. This time he would be the one cooking. He claimed he wasn't bad in the kitchen. Tonight she intended to see if that was true.

* * *

Gavin had always prided himself on being a man in control. As a SEAL, he couldn't be any other way. The success of any mission called for it. There was no time to let your guard down. Weakness of any kind wasn't acceptable. Then why did he lose control every time he entered Layla's body? Why did overpowering weakness overtake him whenever they made love?

He had prepared dinner for her tonight at the party house. He'd fed her well. Surprised the hell out of her with his culinary skills. At the moment, he contemplated impressing her with another skill. One of seduction. When he'd arrived at the party house with his arms filled with groceries, Layla had opened the door wearing an outfit that only made him think of filling her.

She'd tempted him the entire time he was in the kitchen. There was no doubt in his mind that she'd known exactly what she was doing as she'd sat at the breakfast bar watching him. She had known each and every time she crossed and uncrossed her legs that she was showing him a portion of her thigh and exactly what that did to him. How he had managed to finish cooking and then sit across from her and eat was a testament to his control.

Now it was payback time
.

“So how was your day, Gavin?”

He'd cleared off the table and was loading up the dishwasher as he fought to retain control. “It was the usual day in the life of a rancher. The cows are finally settled in for the winter, which is good since forecasters predict a cold wave coming through first of next week.”

“I heard. I'm hoping bad weather won't delay the completion of the dig. Our goal is to start later this week.”

He closed the dishwasher door, then turned around and watched her gaze shift from his face to his midsection. She saw the evidence of his desire for her. That couldn't be helped when she was sitting there looking as sexy as any woman had a right to look. “Did I tell you how much I like your outfit?”

She chuckled and the sound made his erection thicken even more. “Yes, you told me. I figured you would like it since I understand men like to see skin.”

She understood right. Men liked touching and tasting skin as well, which was something he'd shown her last night. Her short dress showed a lot of her thighs since the hem barely covered them. And the top had a neckline that showed a lot of cleavage, reminding him of how much he enjoyed her breasts. He wanted her bad. He wanted her right here. Right now.