Page 12 of Ash on the Range (Red Hart Ranch #6)

A high laugh that came from neither of us, and the deep, highly recognizable voice of Gage who answered his wife emanated from around the corner.

“Damnit.” Will claimed my mouth one more. “Maybe that’s a good thing.” He stroked my stomach gently.

“Never a good thing.” I rubbed my cheek against his stubble. “What about my needs?”

He shifted his knee back between my legs. “I thought we saw those, honey?”

“Did we?” I assessed him, managing to cover my gasp.

Will’s eyes darkened as he braced his body over mine, pushing his knee up between my legs as he had before. This time his hands rested on my hips. And he smiled. “Ride me.”

Heat flushed my cheeks and I shook my head, tucking my chin to hide from him, but we both knew I couldn’t get away.

He laughed again, that same soft sound that I knew wouldn’t make it any further than either of us, that left my heart happening in my chest. Will pressed me back against the house, his knee high between my legs so I couldn't move and rested my tip toes.

“You wanna go back inside, you come for me right damn wow. I wanna see you fall apart."

“Why?” Of all things, that was what slipped out.

Will looked at me like I was crazy. I didn't blame him.

“Because you’re mine, and seeing you flushed and messy and all the things you’re not supposed to be is sexy as fuck, honey.” He leaned down to kiss my mouth as I whimpered. Apparently, that was enough.

His knee pressed harder, until I leaned my head forward, gasping into Will’s shirt.

“Too good,” I managed, between breaths.

“Hold them,” he commanded. “Don’t breathe out or in.” I sucked in a breath and rocked my hips on his leg, arching up for a kiss, and found his hands solid in their grip. “I wanna hear you moan,” he encouraged me.

I glanced sideways to where I knew Brit and Gage played a similar game from her soft sighs and occasional smart remarks, punctuated by Gage’s deeper laughs.

“I don’t think I— oh, ” I whispered, as Will leaned in impossibly, his body filling all the spaces I thought were already oppressed to mine.

“Yeah?” His mouth grazed mine in a not quite kiss as heat deluged my thighs. “That sort of oh , honey?”

Will’s tongue traced my bottom lip lazily as I shivered, rocking my hips over his thigh. He felt so good and I knew we shouldn’t be out here, when everyone was inside, including Jude and Travis and my brother, and?—

“I can hear you thinking, Cassie.” Will’s deep voice filtered through my world as he spoke into my ear.

His lips framed the delicate shape leaving me extra shivery.

“You think they know you’re out here with me, all hot and bothered and aching?

Think they know that if I slide my hand inside your panties you’d be dripping for me, all ready for me to slide inside you and?—”

He didn't need to finish, because I did first.

I came for him with a cry he muffled with his mouth, thrusting his tongue deep inside to steal my scream.

I rocked my hips over his thigh where he pinned me between the warmth of his hard body and the unyielding house wall, riding out the waves of pleasure brought on by his teasing and filthy words.

As the wave of sensation subsided, he let me collapse into his arms, holding me tight.

“Christ, you’re beautiful.” Will wove his hands through my hair, kissing me hard, then slower, taking his time.

I sank deep against his chest, resting my head there.

His kisses weren’t sweet and gentle anymore.

Something had changed between us, some knowledge that this was our new normal and that we’d ramped it up a little.

“I wanna take you somewhere tomorrow. Bring the camera Eve has for the property, okay? I’ll be here early. ”

I smiled against his shirt. Knowing Will, early meant well before dawn, but the thought of spending time with him left me more boneless than ever.

“Alright.” I rubbed my cheek against his chest. “I want to stay here with you.”

Brit’s laugh turned into a different sort of sound, and I wondered how loud I’d been a moment before. Gage muttered something. I couldn't hear his voice that was deeper than ever, and Will cursed softly.

“I think our time is up, Cass.” He stared down at me with dark eyes. “Come back inside. I’ll take you up.”

“I thought you weren’t supposed to go upstairs?” I let him take my hand against, shivering the moment he stepped away.

“I’m not.”

I didn’t get to say anything else as he towed me around the front of the house where the last of the ranch hands and newer arrivals were heading down to their accommodation for the night.

Several of them waved to Will or called out, but he didn’t stop or say more than a word or two.

I kicked my boots off when he did, and followed him into the house.

He stopped for a quick word with Travis as the heat of the house enveloped me. My shivers stopped and I headed for the kitchen to help but Travis shook his head.

“Not tonight, Cassie. Looks like you two have some work to do early tomorrow. Head up. I’ll fix this. Both of you.” He frowned at Eve who shrugged at him and tiredly put one foot in front of the other, leaving him to it alone, her attention buried on her phone.

Will gripped my hand again, his eyes hooded.

“Are you allowed up?” I asked, feeling like a teenager asking for her dad’s permission and about to break some monumental unspoken house rule.

He nodded once. “Just for a minute. I can’t stay,” he rasped, his voice straining.

I bit my lip, my body still a little liquid and humming from what we’d done minutes before.

I managed the stairs with only the slightest stumble, but Will was there, his hands on my hips to steady me.

Gripping his knuckles tight, I kept going, my breath short as I made it to the landing.

The hall had never seemed so long. I looked back, wondering if Will wanted the world’s briefest tour of the wide hallway, but his attention was focused on just me.

I stepped back under his intense study, and bumped into the doorframe. “This is me,” I whispered.

“Yeah?” One arm braced over my head as he kept moving forward until he towered over me.

Will wasn’t the tallest cowboy at Red Hart, but compared to my five foot six height with his bulky chest, he seemed pretty solid and imposing to me.

A fingertip trailed along my cheek. “You like it here, Cassie?”

“I like being anywhere with you,” I breathed the admission as my heart clenched. Don’ t fall for the cowboy who will just move on in a few months. Don’t fall for the cowboy…

But it was too late. Will’s liquid brown eyes filled my vision as he dipped his head and claimed my mouth in a long, slow kiss that left me rising onto my toes for more. So much more.

And left me breathless and aching when he drew back a moment later, so much more than a midnight promise in the pensive heartbeat between us.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Cass,” he murmured, his eyes on my mouth, before he dragged his gaze back to my eyes with an effort that looked like it cost him everything.

His eye flickered over my shoulder, into my room before he stepped back a fraction, though his hand dropped to my hip, his thump rubbing my skin where my top had ridden up.

Heavy footsteps and a pointed cough announced Travis’ arrival at the top of the stairs.

“Goodnight,” I whispered, wishing he could come in and finish what we started down stairs. Or just collapse together, and sleep though until morning in the warmth of each other's bodies, though I knew he wanted—needed—more.

Because so did I.

“Goodnight, Cass,” he murmured, squeezing my hip.

Then his touch was gone, along iwht his presence as Will strode away along the hall.

Travis said something softly as he passed that froze Will on the top step.

He half turned back, but the light didn’t quite reach him.

All I could see was his silhouette outlined against the muted light from downstairs.

Then he wasn’t there at all, and I stood alone on the landing.