Page 39 of Ace of Spades (Hidden Creek Ranch #1)

HAILEY

“What would you think about making gift baskets for the guest ranch? We could fill them with a bunch of small goodies from the smaller shops around town, and have them waiting for the guests in their rooms. It could help encourage them to go look around, and maybe even drive some business?”

“I love it,” Weston tells me, the two of us walking back inside after letting the dogs out for the morning. “I think Dakota is gonna take the new arrivals to look around Main Street this afternoon, I’m sure she can talk to some of the shop owners and see if they would be on board.”

I pull my bed-hair into my go-to messy bun, my bare feet padding across Weston’s living room in nothing but underwear and his t-shirt as I make my way to the dog crate in the corner, unlatching it to wake up baby Poncho.

“Perfect! Now, why don’t you go make us some of those delicious breakfast sandwiches, we’ve got some fences to check today.”

“Are you my boss now, Sorrels?”

His cheeky smirk brings a smile to my lips as I throw a glance over my shoulder, taking in his tanned chest and well-defined abs.

Something about the way he wears a backwards ball cap over his disheveled dark hair, his sweatpants hanging low over his hips, and the tattoos crawling down his masculine arms—the carefree look has me swooning.

“Maybe.”

“Well, you can boss me around anytime,” he winks, walking up behind me as I pull the little raccoon into my arms.

“Good. Now get to it, hot stuff,” I tell him, using my free hand to smack him on the ass.

“You little rascal,” he purrs, bending down to give me a quick kiss.

“Go!” I chuckle. “I gotta feed Poncho.”

“Alright, alright,” he relents, making his way to the kitchen. He gets the breakfast started as I heat up the formula, settling into the recliner as I tuck the tiny creature into my arms and offer him the bottle.

I pull out my phone with my free hand, checking the socials and the ranch website.

It had been a full week since my mom had defied my dad and driven me back here, finally reaching her breaking point after overhearing that Brad had hit me.

She’d been settling in well, better than I would have expected.

And although I couldn’t say we had grown close just yet, I could see that she was making an effort. It felt… nice.

My dad, however? None of us had heard from him since. And though everything seemed to have passed over for the time being, I couldn’t help the gnawing feeling in my gut that everything wasn’t over just yet.

There was still the threat on the trailer park, and the still-developing resort plans.

I knew my dad well enough not to assume that he had just rolled over and given up.

We hadn’t talked about it much, but I knew everyone at the ranch was on edge.

Weston had insisted that I move into his cabin, and he slept with a pistol under his pillow every night.

I tried to force everything to the back of my mind—still cautious, but not letting it take over my life.

I still had rodeos to focus on most weekends, and I was genuinely enjoying my time with Weston—maybe even a little bit more than I cared to admit.

It felt… comfortable. More than that, it felt good .

“Here you go, princess,” the man in question cut through my train of thought, placing a plate on the rustic coffee table. “One breakfast sandwich, extra hot sauce on the side. Here—”

He reaches over to take Poncho from my arms, the little creature still latched onto the bottle as Weston smoothly takes over.

“I’ll finish feeding him so you can eat.”

“What about you?”

“I can wait,” he tells me, lowering himself onto the couch.

“You sure?”

“Positive. ”

“Well, thank you,” I tell him, reaching for the plate and taking a less-than-dainty bite from the sandwich, the egg yolk perfectly runny as my eyes roll back from the savory explosion.

“How are the socials looking?”

“Really good, actually,” I tell him, lifting my hand to cover my mouth as I continue to eat. “We’re officially on the map. It seems like the video of Poncho sitting in the saddle from the other day really blew up.”

“Guess the little shit isn’t completely worthless after all.”

“Hey, be nice to him! He’s just a baby.”

Weston rolls his eyes.

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see that,” I tell him. “But only because this sandwich is too good to put down.”

I finish eating, and I take over feeding Poncho to let Weston dig into his own food.

Once the little guy is done, I lower to set him down on the ground, letting the dogs sniff him as Poncho adjusts before running off with Maverick and Gypsy.

I make my way to the kitchen, swiping Weston’s plate on the way as I set them in the sink.

“Here, let me,” he says, joining me around the wooden kitchen island and reaching over my shoulder to take over.

“Move aside, Langford—you made breakfast, I can do the dishes,” I tell him, bumping him back over with my hip. I catch a whiff of leather and mint, his familiar scent that I’d come to love.

“Oh, no you don’t,” he growls, a shriek escaping my lips as he spins me around and picks me up, my bare behind landing on the edge of the counter.

“Wes! ”

“Or—and just hear me out,” he mutters in my ear, kissing my pulse point before making his way down to kiss my now-exposed collarbone, the large t-shirt having slipped off my shoulder.

“What are you doing?” I laugh, my head tilting back as his warm lips explore over my skin, his hand running over my thigh as his other arm grips me around the waist.

“Maybe I’m still hungry,” he breathes, the timbre of his voice low and gravely as he flashes me his green eyes. His gaze is alight with lust as he sinks to his knees, his mouth moving to explore my inner thighs as my legs automatically part for him.

“Weston…” I breathe, his hands exploring before wrapping around my thighs, pulling my legs open further as he leans in to kiss the now-damp spot over my underwear.

I let my head fall back as goosebumps erupt over my skin, a need awakening inside of me as he gives me soft kisses, teasing the edge of my panties with his tongue.

Oh gosh, the things this man does to me…

Heat crawls up my neck, my core alive with need as he teases me to the edge of insanity, my hips rolling into him as he explores every inch of me, as if cherishing my body.

I nearly die when he finally reaches to push my panties to the side, his fingers running through the slickness there before plunging inside me, earning a moan from my lips that resonates through the kitchen.

He lets out a throaty groan, the arm around my thigh tightening its grip as he devours me. He sucks on my clit as his fingers curl inside of me, reaching that magical spot that has me panting as my pleasure crests .

“Oh, Wes…” I moan, all inhibitions lowered as he drives me to the brink.

The pleasure is indescribable, my toes curling as I turn into a senseless puddle of need. He hums a moan against my bundle of nerves as I roll my hips into him, the vibrations driving me over the brink as I fall apart on his tongue and fingers.

He laps me up, licking every drop like a greedy man before standing, not missing a beat as his hand grabs me by the nape and his lips slam to mine.

“Fuck, you taste so good,” he whispers against my mouth, my hands reaching for him as I rake my nails down his back.

“Fuck me, cowboy,” I pant, a glint lighting in his eye as he remembers our first time.

“Anything you want, baby,” he tells me, his arms hooking beneath my thighs as he pulls me into him, a squeal escaping me as he drags me across the counter.

His sweats are pulled down in the next moment, both of us looking between our bodies to watch as he places himself at my now-soaked entrance, our heavy breaths in sync for the briefest moment before he slams into me.

The noise that escapes me is guttural, deep, and full of pleasure as I adjust to his size, my need already growing once more.

“Holy shit,” he breathes, his thrusts picking up pace as our lips meet once more, our kisses crazed.

He reaches his palm to my chest, slowly pushing me down to the counter as my back meets the wooden surface. He doesn’t miss a beat, still pumping into me as he reaches to push up my t-shirt, exposing my bare breasts and grabbing one in his large palm .

His thumb brushes over my nipple, earning a moan from my lips as he rolls it between his fingers. My skin is on fire, every nerve ending in my body firing as he continues to drive into me at a punishing pace.

“Be a good girl and come on my cock,” he rasps, his hand moving lower to rub his thumb over my clit.

I come undone with his name on my lips, my eyes rolling to the back of my head as the pleasure overwhelms me. I feel myself pulsing around him, a curse leaving his lips as he stills inside of me, the two of us falling over the edge together.

“How are you so perfect?” he pants as we come back down to earth, his touch turning gentle as he runs his hand up to cup my face.

I manage a lazy smile up at him, words evading me as my mind is wiped from the wave of euphoria that overcomes me.

He studies me, a light sheen of sweat coating his skin as he regards me with an expression that I can’t quite place. Three words come to the forefront of my mind just then—three words that would be all too easy to spill in the moment, but that I can’t quite bring myself to say.

Three words that I can feel deep in my soul, but would be much too rash to speak out loud. But with the way he looks at me now, I can’t help but wonder if he might just feel the same.

“Come on,” he finally speaks, slowly pulling out of me as I let out a whimper. He picks me up in one move, my arms wrapping around his neck and my legs around his waist as he lifts me off the counter.

“Where are we going?” I laugh, letting out a giggle .

“Shower. Better get cleaned up,” he says, giving me an affectionate kiss on the forehead as he carries me out of the kitchen.