STORY EXCERPT

Opening the kitchen door, she saw Maria rolling out a pie crust. “Smells good in here, Maria. What’s for dinner?”

Maria turned toward her. “It’s not lunch yet. Why are you interested in dinner?”

“We’re having company. Jackson will be joining us.”

Maria grinned. “He’s not company, more like family. I’m baking an apple pie. That’s his favorite. I’ll set an extra plate.”

“Thanks.” Samantha poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a biscuit from a platter. “If anyone’s looking for me, I’ve gone for a walk.”

“Hiding from your grandfather won’t solve your problems.”

“Do you know what he wants me to do?”

Maria nodded. “I didn’t eavesdrop. Anyone inside the house couldn’t avoid hearing yesterday’s discussion.”

“He can’t be serious,” Samantha repeated for at least the tenth time.

“He is, and I think he’s right.”

Samantha’s mouth dropped open. “How can you agree with his ridiculous demand?”

“He wants what’s best for you.”

“Yeah,” Samantha snorted and went out the side door. A line of trees created a shady area behind the house, and she walked to the most distant one and sat with her back against the rough bark.

Not since she’d first come to live with her grandparents had she felt so unsettled. Three years ago her grandmother died. After a year of private grieving, Gramps turned his attention back to work, and now her.

Samantha pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and speed dialed her best girlfriend, Janice. The phone rang four times before the familiar answering machine picked up. Samantha snapped her phone shut and stared across the open fields at the cattle and horses gazing in nearby pastures.

She could not lose the ranch. The ranch had been the one constant in her life. She had lost too much of her family to death. She couldn’t control the circumstances that took them from her. But, the land and the work she’d been sure she’d have forever. She studied agriculture, and after getting her degree, she’d come home expecting to stay. In her mind whoever married her would want to live on the ranch and help her.

Well, maybe her dreams had been a little unrealistic. That’s why she’d thought of Jackson this morning. He had other businesses, but since his parents sold him the ranch, retired, and went traveling, Jackson had come home more often. Married, she’d be a help by being here all the time and taking care of both places.

He’ll want a real marriage.The thought of Jackson and her in bed sent heat rushing through her veins. His six-foot-three-inch frame was lean and hard. Add golden brown hair, eyes the color of the summer sky, a dimple in his left cheek, and a girl could melt into a puddle at his feet. He exuded raw masculinity. Before today, she’d never allowed herself to consider him in a romantic way. She wasn’t sure why.

She hated to admit it, but he was stronger than her, and not just physically. Her demands and arguments had always rolled off his broad shoulders. She’d been the one to apologize because she didn’t want to lose his friendship. Being married to him, she might lose herself. It was too much of a risk.

She’d explain tonight that she’d been overly emotional and sprouted off without thinking. He didn’t want to marry her, not really. He hadn’t even accepted her offer yet. She had nothing to worry about. They’d both laugh about her silly proposal and settle back into their comfortable friendship.

That didn’t solve her problem though. Where could she find the right man? He had to love the country, want to live at the ranch, and not mind her control issues. All right, she admitted, I do like to be in control.

Her cell rang. “Hello,” Samantha answered.

“I’ve thought about your offer. I accept.” His deep, husky voice sent shivers through her.

“Don’t you want to talk with Gramps first?”

“Sure. Tonight I’ll ask his permission to marry you. He’s old-fashioned, and I respect him. He’ll expect the question.”

“We need to talk first.”

“Is there a problem?”

She heard the smile in his voice. “I may have been rash in trying to force you to my way of thinking.”

“No problem. I think you’re right. We’ll deal well with each other, and my folks and your grandfather will be overjoyed.”

Darn, what could she say now? If he asked Gramps to marry her, the deal was sealed and stamped. For once, she admitted her rashness had gotten her into a corner.

“We’ll talk tonight, before you see Gramps.”

“See you at six.”

She snapped her phone shut, realizing he had not agreed with her last demand. This situation was swirling out of control, and she had no one to blame but herself.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Ready to get out? If so, I have a suggestion.”

Samantha raised her eyebrow. “I’m afraid to ask what it is.”

“Nothing terrible. I’ll give you a towel, and while you remove your wet underclothes, I’ll get some lotion and give you a massage.”

“That sounds dangerous. I’ll be nude.”

“Darling, I’ve seen you nude before, and I said I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

Her heart tripped faster. She started to say no, to take her home, but found the words spilling out of her mouth were just the opposite. “All right. Still, you will stop if I say so.”

He didn’t wait for her to change her mind. He handed her a towel from the cabana, situated at the darkest end of the patio, then went inside. She barely had time to wrap the towel around her before he returned with a large bottle of lotion. He took her arm and directed her to a double-sized lounge chair. It was wide and long.

“Lie down on your stomach.”

Samantha managed to lie down without dropping her towel. Jackson straddled her and pulled her wet hair to the side. Soon, she felt his hands filled with lotion begin to massage her neck and shoulders.

“Relax. You’re full of tense knots.”

How did any woman relax with a nude man straddling them and his warm hands doing wonderful things to her muscles and skin? He kneaded away all the aches and tension as he moved along each arm and then took long strokes over her back. When he got to the towel, he lifted her enough to pull it off her backside.

She had a fleeting thought to protest, but he hadn’t left her the energy to move, much less say anything but moan in pleasure. When his strong hands caressed her buttocks, fluid seeped out of her pussy and fire licked along every nerve in her body. She started to move around.

“Stay still. I’m not through yet, my love. I’m just getting started.”

Jackson slid further down and massaged each thigh and leg before continuing to her feet. His fingers slid lotion over her toes and instep. When he rubbed her feet, any lingering tension flowed away. He left her feet and did a quick rub up her body until he wrapped his body around her.

“I’m going to turn you and continue on your front,” he whispered in her ear then nibbled on her earlobe.

Low inside, an ache began to build. She gave no resistance as he moved off of her and rolled her to face him. His hunger made his face look drawn. His lowered eyelids hid their expression. A cool breeze rippled across her skin, causing her to shiver.

He straddled her again, wiped the lotion from his hands, and began to massage her scalp. “I love your hair. When it’s dry, the strands flow through my fingers like silk.”

Lowering his head, he kissed her cheeks, the corners of her mouth, and sucked on her lower lip. His hands moved to her neck and shoulders, caressing her while his tongue tasted and teased her mouth.

Continuing his exploration, he nuzzled her neck. “I can feel your pulse beating against my lips. You smell like flowers and taste like the sweetest nectar.” His husky voice made her ache.

He had her almost breathless as his body and hands circled her, becoming an extension of herself. His teasing tongue tasted her belly button and licked her skin to her pussy lips. She raised her hips to meet him, but he surprised her by changing positions and pouring cool lotion on her feet to restart his massage.

Her whole body throbbed and hungered for him. She wanted him inside her. She moaned, twisting around.

His deep chuckle only aroused her more. “Be still. I’m not done.”

Heat flowed upwards from her feet to touch every overly sensitized inch of her body. He kissed each toe and her instep, taking what seemed like forever. It was heavenly, and yet she wanted, needed more.

Finally, he began to kiss her ankle, lower leg, and then he rubbed more lotion on her thighs and began to massage her, especially along the inner thigh.

She stared up at the sprinkling of stars above and the slender curve of the moon. Vaguely, she heard a rip as he opened the condom package. Quickly, he moved back to her, and his lips ran across her clit, arousing her to a fever pitch. He separated her pussy lips and tasted and touched all her most intimate places. Her insides clenched and unclenched, starving for his attention. She raised herself and opened her legs further, moaning the words, “fill me, please fill me.”

He moved up the length of her, where he could lick her peaked nipple. His fingers reached down and stroked just inside the opening to her wet, tight pussy.  In her impatience, she took hold of his warm, stiff cock, and moving his hand away, she positioned him right at her opening.

“Do you want me to make love to you?”

“Yes, yes, push inside of me. I can’t wait another second.”

His cock slipped, just barely, into her gushing, wet pussy, and then he rubbed his thumb over her clit. Samantha raised her hips and pulled his buttocks toward her, but he controlled their progress, holding back and entering inch by inch until her head thrashed from side to side.

“Say you want me again. I want to hear the words.”

“I want you, damn it.”

He plunged his wide cock in all the way and ravaged her mouth while his body thrust in and out, taking her to a level of pleasure she’d never known.