She’d come to know him so well and loved to anticipate his needs, even as she verbalized hers. Had he ever had this kind of connection with a woman? Not only in bed, but also out of it?
His cock was in his hand, nudging her pussy and he impaled her.
She expelled a moan and arched.
Gripping her butt cheeks, he watched his cock tunnel in and out of her juicy sex. Mesmerizing as it was, seeing those pink tissues part to take him, he wanted a skin-to-skin connection with her. His hands smoothed over her lower back, her middle back, up her shoulders to circle her wrists.
He flexed his pelvis. Pulled out and slammed back in.
Ten days away from daily sex and his stamina suffered—he was getting close, but evidently so was she. He drove her higher with hot, openmouthed kisses and the slight scrape of his teeth to the side of her neck. Whispering in her ear to give it up, to let go, taking her to that point where her body finally answered the mating call of his. Satisfied their mutual need.
Her hands clenched into fists on the mattress and she released a keening wail. Her pussy squeezed his cock with enough force to stop his thrusting as her orgasm overtook her.
Somehow he kept it together until the last pulse. He pulled out, rolled her onto her back and plowed into her. He craved this closeness, her legs around his waist, her fingers digging into his ass, her scent on his skin and filling his lungs. In that perfect moment, Renner buried his face against her neck, and let go.
Before his dick stopped twitching, his mouth sought hers. He kissed her with the tenderness his body hadn’t been able to offer, aware, maybe for the first time, that Tierney gave him something he hadn’t known he’d lacked.
Neither seemed eager to break the kiss or the connection of their bodies. But Renner suspected he was crushing her. He lifted his head. Smiled at her. Swept a hank of hair behind her ear. “Hey.”
“You sneak in here in the middle of the night, fuck me like a man possessed and all you can say to me is . . . hey?”
“Hey . . . I missed you?”
She smiled sassily. “That’s better.”
He kissed the corners of her eyes, the bridge of her nose, her cheeks, her chin. “You’re beautiful.”
“Renner. You don’t have to—”
“I want to. Because when I see you every day I take that beauty for granted. When ten days go by without seein’ you? I realize I oughta tell you that more often.” He kissed the soft set of her mouth. “So I am telling you, Tierney. You’re beautiful.”
She didn’t play coy. She rested her forehead to his and said, “Thank you.”
“Now go back to sleep.”
“So this was a dream?”
“Dream my ass.” He rolled her over and smacked her left butt cheek as he put his mouth on her right cheek and gave her a big hickey.
“Renner! I can’t believe you did that.”
As his gaze traveled up her curves covered in all that beautifully smooth skin, he had another primal urge to mark her all over. Prove she was his.
So he did just that.
As he stumbled back to his trailer two hours later, he wondered why Tierney never asked him to stay.
Chapter Twenty-four
Abe had been helping out at the Split Rock, keeping an eye on Tobin, the new hired hand, while Renner was out of town. Although he strolled into the barn early—he didn’t beat the kid there. Kid knew how to work, he’d give him that much.
Kid. Right. He wasn’t a kid. Which reminded Abe that at Tobin’s age, he had already been running a successful ranch operation for a couple of years. He’d already been married. And divorced.
“Hey, Abe. I thought you were Renner.”
Abe faced him. “Nope. Although I see his rig is parked in front of his trailer this mornin’.”
“He got back late. But I wasn’t sure if he’d want me to go ahead and feed the stock like I’ve been doing, or if there are things he’d rather do himself. I also kept track of everything I did last week, so you can double-check it and see if Renner would rather have me working in another area—”
“Tobin. Slow down. It’s early yet and I’ve barely sucked down my first cup of coffee.”
“Sorry. I’m just... nervous.” Tobin took off his brown and gold University of Wyoming ball cap, ran his hand over his dark head and put the cap back on. “I’ve been around ranches and cattle my whole life but I feel like a freakin’ idiot compared to you and Renner.”
That shocked the crap out of Abe. “Yeah? How’s that? Because I wonder why you’re toiling in a barn with a master’s degree in reproductive biology.”
Tobin mimicked Abe’s posture on the opposite side of the support post. “Because I’m the third son of a rancher. My two older brothers were running the ranch by the time I’d started high school. And when I graduated from college, raring to bring my ‘new’ knowledge back to the ranch, Dad and my brothers saw nothin’ wrong with the way they’d been doin’ things. So I checked around to see how much education I’d need to get into commercial stockbreeding programs. Or what the state requirements were for ag positions. A master’s degree was optional, but it wasn’t like I had a job offer to mull over, so I stayed in school. I received my master’s in May. I’ve applied a couple places but the economy is tight around here.”
“What about elsewhere?”
He held Abe’s gaze. “I never wanted to live anywhere besides Wyoming. It’s not like I haven’t traveled. I spent part of last year in Brazil learning about their cattle industry. But the bottom line hasn’t changed. My family doesn’t need or want my help on the ranch. So I’d rather work as a ranch hand, doin’ what I love, than get stuck doing something I don’t, because my dad thought I’d be better off educated.” Tobin sipped his coffee. “Honest enough for you, Abe?”
He laughed. “Yeah.”
“What about you?”
“Do I have a college degree?”
“No, I’m curious about the cattle operation you’re running with your brother. Rumor is that the Lawson and Turner operations are the successful ones and have been for years when others failed.”
Abe shrugged. “We do all right. Why?”
“You’re younger than my oldest brother. I wondered if you stick to doin’ everything the same way your family did? Or if you’re open to new ideas in the ag industry?”
Here was a guy who despite his advanced college degree wants exactly what you’ve already got: a life as a Wyoming rancher.
“Sorry, man. Forget it. Sometimes I get a little gung ho about stuff.”
“It’s okay. Just tryin’ to . . .” Abe sighed. “Look. I graduate from UWYO next week with a bachelor’s in agricultural business.”
Tobin’s eyes widened. “No shit? That’s great! I’ll bet you don’t have a problem with your brother accusing you of thinking you’re all hot shit and stuff because of your Ag degree.”
“That’s the thing. No one knows I’ve been goin’ to school.” His eyes flashed a warning. “No one. Not my family. Not my friends.”
“Janie?”
“No.”
“Why would you keep that a secret?”
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever graduate. Some of them classes . . .” He shook his head. “I’ve been running things my way since I was nineteen. I implemented a few changes while my brother was bullfighting. When Hank came back, he never suggested I was dumb for doin’ things differently. Since I’ve put some of what I’ve learned in college into practical application, our cattle operation sustains two families, instead of one.”
“See? That is the reason you should be touting your degree to your family, Abe. I wish I could use you as an example to my brothers about how progress can work in conjunction with tradition.”
Abe had made up his mind to tell his family... after the ceremony. After he had the diploma in his hand for sure.
The door slammed. They both glanced at Renner.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Abe drawled.
“Fuck off, Law
son. You can go. Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.”
Abe chuckled. “This is the thanks I get? Fine. Ain’t like I don’t have plenty of my own shit to do.” Renner stopped beside him and Abe gave him a once over. “No offense, but you look like hell.”
“That’s what life on the road and nights with no sleep will do to ya.” Renner swigged from his insulated mug. “Thanks for your help, Abe. I do appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Need anything else, just holler.” He pushed away from the post. Tempting to swing by Janie’s office, but he had a shitload of stuff to do. Including study.
“Hey, Lawson,” Tobin yelled. “Remember what we talked about. Tell her. It’s important.”
Abe waved him off. But the kid had planted the seed.
“What was that about?” Renner asked testily.
“Just picking his brain about a couple of things. The Lawsons run a top-notch cattle company from what I understand.”
“You thinking about jumping ship and goin’ to work for Abe and Hank?”
Tobin shook his head. “No, sir. We were just talking. Old-school thinking in ranching versus new-school thinking. I like talking to him. He’s not so set in his ways, like my family is. He’s a smart man.”
“Yes, he is. But in light of your obvious Abe worship, I should tell you, that as much as I need your help around here as a hired hand and bellhop, if you’re serious about using your degree, I could use your expertise in setting up a breeding program. ’Course, that’ll be down the road a piece. But I wanted you to be aware of my long-term plans.”
“No shit?”
“No shit. I’ve also been thinkin’ lately about raising organic beef. Some guys I’ve known for a while have gotten into it and they swear it’s less work and more money.” Renner managed a smile. “I’m all about that.”
Tobin nodded. “And it’s not like you don’t have the grazing areas.” The kid launched into a long-winded explanation about natural grasses that made Renner’s eyes cross. But he wasn’t sure that wasn’t from being so goddamned tired.
He felt Tobin looking at him expectantly. “Sounds like you’ve been doin’ a little research on the land around Split Rock.”
“Here and there. Tierney’s been very helpful.”
It was all Renner could do not to grab Tobin by the throat and have him define helpful.
“Whoa. Boss. I know that look and it’s not like that. Not at all. Tierney is hot as hell in that brainy-girl way, and if she wasn’t . . . well, I might’ve been willing to take a crack at her—”
Renner snarled.
“But I’m not the type to poach, okay?” Tobin half cringed. “Jesus, don’t tear my limbs off after I’ve finally found a job I like.”
The jealous haze cleared. He bit off, “Explain poach.”
Tobin’s cheeks colored, but he kept his gaze steady. “I know you and Tierney are involved.”
Renner froze. Had she been confiding in Tobin while he was gone?
“Look, I don’t need a lot of sleep, so I’m up late. I’ve seen you goin’ to Tierney’s, seen you coming back from there in the early morning hours. Seen you shoveling her walkway early every morning.”
“Woman would break her neck in them damn high heels she always wears, if I didn’t,” Renner muttered.
“Last night after you got home that was the first place you went. And man, I don’t blame you.”
He snarled again.
“No, no, not what I meant,” Tobin backtracked. “I meant I don’t blame you guys for keeping it under wraps.”
“Well, fuck. Doesn’t sound like it’s under wraps.”
“Near as I can tell, no one knows besides me.”
“Let’s keep it that way.”
“Done.” Tobin opened his mouth. Closed it.
“For Christsake, what now?”
“Why doesn’t Tierney ever come to your place?”
Damn kid brought up the very question he’d been asking himself. Why was he always crawling out of her bed and schlepping himself home? Be nice if she’d spend a few nights at his place. He had to get up a helluva lot earlier than she did.
Does she think she’s too good to bang you in a cheap trailer?
“Shit. Sorry I said anything. Never mind.”
Renner sighed. “I don’t know why. Haven’t really thought about it much.” Liar. “Now that we’re done shooting the shit, how about if we get them bulls fed?”
He spent the rest of the day in a foul mood.
He should’ve been happy that everything had run so smoothly at the Split Rock in his absence.
He should’ve been happy Wild West Clothiers sales had doubled the projections.
He should’ve been happy the lodge was full for the next two weeks, but he wasn’t.
None of it made him happy.
Renner ate lunch alone at his desk. When Tierney blew in like a wet dream, wearing a skintight black sweater dress, red patent fuck-me heels, and a do me big daddy smile, he barely said two words to her before he bailed. He wasn’t in the mood for company. He definitely wasn’t in the mood to lock the door and have a quickie. He considered hopping in his truck—gee, wouldn’t that be a blast, because it wasn’t like he hadn’t just spent the last ten goddamn days on the road.
Why don’t you sneak a pint of ice cream, pop The Proposal into the DVD player and curl up in your bed like a girl? Because you’re sure as fuck acting like one.
Wrong. He didn’t have time to wallow.
Isn’t that what’s eating at you? You left to check on your stock contracting company and found it’s in good hands? Maybe better than when you were running it full-time? And you get back here and find out you’re not needed here, either?
Not needed my ass. There was always plenty of shit that needed done. So he returned to the barn, determined to sort through the tack.
The radio provided distraction from his self-pitying thoughts. He nailed up a new section of pegboard and had nearly cleared all the ropes, bridles and halters off the ground when he heard, “Knock, knock.”
Renner shot Tierney a look over his shoulder. Yep. She still wore that sexy-assed getup, including the stilettos. “I’da thought you woulda learned your lesson about wearin’ them kinda shoes out here.”
Tierney blinked at him.
“Something you need?” he asked shortly.
“Have I done something wrong?”
“Doubtful. Why?”
“Seems like you’re mad at me.”
“Nope.”
She tiptoed closer. “I don’t believe you.”
He shrugged and untwisted a section of rope.
“Renner? Why won’t you even look at me?”
Sighing, he faced her. “I have stuff to do after bein’ gone for ten fuckin’ days, so if you’ve got something specific to talk to me about, spit it out.”
That put starch in her spine. “I wasn’t aware I had to make an appointment to talk to you.”
“I wasn’t aware you had business in the barn. Unless you were here lookin’ for Tobin to help him out with some more research.”
He was being a dick. He knew it. She knew it. But for some reason Renner couldn’t stop it. He just kept working, hoping she’d take the hint.
“Fine. I’ll go since you’re in a lousy mood. But will I see you later tonight?”
“I’ll be at the lodge after supper to meet the guests.”
“That’s not what I meant. Will you be coming to my place after that?”
Renner shook out a halter from the pile. “Probably not.”
Silence. Then, “Why not?”
He whirled around. “Why don’t you ever come over to my place, Tierney? Not once in all the times we’ve been fucking around have you ever offered. I always have to be the one to haul my ass out of your bed and go home in the cold. Did you ever consider that I’d like to be in my own bed sometimes?”
Her stark expression indicated she hadn’t considered it, but immediately she ralli
ed with, “No need to snap at me.”
“Do you know how nice it would’ve been to have you waiting for me for