Page 19 of Falling For Her Cowboy (Silver Creek Ranch #9)

Chapter Eleven

M elah couldn’t erase the silly grin from her lips.

Warm arms wrapped around her from behind.

She tried to pull away from them, but their owner was stronger than her.

Ridge’s warm chest pressed on her back. The man was insatiable.

He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he’d show her how much he needed her.

She cleared her throat and again tried to stop grinning like an idiot.

Her damn voice even had the nerve to be hoarse from their night together.

“I need to go, Ridge.” She giggled.

God, when had she giggled so much? Who was this woman?

She barely recognized herself. His warm breath blew on her neck as he nuzzled his face against her skin.

A bulge rested along her bottom. She inhaled sharply and tried to ignore it.

She had to report to work today, and the man was acting like she didn’t have a job.

“But what if I don’t want you to?” he replied.

He nipped at her skin, and she moaned. The man had explored her body all night.

She’d had barely three hours of sleep the entire night.

She was sore in spots she hadn’t even known existed.

Her pussy had been stretched out in ways it had never been before.

She had doubted the man would fit, but he had showed her she could take him perfectly.

Her core clenched at the way his tongue lazily trailed over her skin. The memory of his head buried between her thighs would be forever etched in her brain.

“I have to go to work.” She pulled her jeans up and got them buttoned. She still had to put her shirt on, but a certain muscular cowboy was keeping her hostage at the moment.

Did she really want to go to work? To be out in the sun, around cattle and other men who would be sweating just as bad as she would be?

Hell no.

She’d rather remain here with Ridge and have an encore of last night’s performance .

“I do know your boss. I can make a call.” He lifted his head and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

“You are not calling your father and telling him nothing.” She whirled around and pressed a finger to his bare chest. There was no way in hell Ridge was telling his father that she couldn’t come to work.

That would be embarrassing. What would Andy think if he knew she’d slept with his son?

She didn’t want anyone getting the wrong thoughts about her.

“I’m just playing. I wouldn’t do that.” He cupped her face and stared down at her.

His smile was gone, and this was the serious side of him.

He may be relaxed and joke a lot, but he apparently knew when it was time to be serious.

“I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable in any way around my family. ”

“It’s not that. I like your dad and even your brother. I just don’t want anyone else thinking I’m sleeping with you for ulterior reasons,” she admitted.

Been there. Done that. But what happened between her and Theo wasn’t consensual. But to hear his side of the story, she’d wanted his advances, which was an absolute lie. She hadn’t asked to be held down. She hadn’t asked for him to rip her dress?—

She closed her eyes and pushed that night away from the forefront of her mind. Not here with Ridge .

Ridge was nothing like Theo.

“I get it. I do, but I’m not going to hide my feelings for you from no one.” His thumb gently caressed her skin. His eyes darkened into something she’d never seen before. “If someone says anything to you, come to me. I’ll handle it.”

A shiver went through her. She’d never seen this from Ridge. Maybe there was more to him than what he allowed everyone to see. At that exact moment, the expression in his eyes looked familiar.

His brother.

Even though the two were complete opposites, at the moment, she saw the same darkness his brother carried in Ridge’s eyes.

“I can take care of myself,” she said softly.

He tightened his hold on her face. It wasn’t painful, but that darkness clouded his eyes even more.

“I’m serious, Melah. You are not alone. You don’t have to take care of yourself. I’m here with you.” He dropped a kiss to her lips, and when he lifted his head, that look in his eyes was gone.

The Ridge she’d come to know was back. She blinked. Had she imagined it?

“Okay.” She leaned into him and rested her forehead on his chest. This man knew what she needed in the short time they had been together. It was like the weight was floating from her shoulders. She inhaled his warm scent, which relaxed her. She raised her head and smiled. “I still have to go.”

She pushed off him, and he finally released her. She grabbed her shirt and threw it on. Last night Ridge had never got around to grilling. He’d stuck the food in the fridge, tossed her over his shoulder, and they’d ended up in the bedroom.

Her stomach released a growl. She’d get something to eat after a shower before she went out on the ranch for her shift.

Who’d have thought the bag she’d packed would come in handy.

It had been a little presumptive to think she might spend the night.

She was sure when she got back to the bunkhouse that she was going to have to say something to Aimee about her whereabouts.

She zipped up her bag and found him waiting for her by the doorway.

“Got everything?” he asked.

“I think so.”

He pushed off the doorjamb and picked up her bag.

He took her hand in his and guided them down to the first level.

She’d had a quick tour of it last night when she’d arrived.

It was a grand home that called to her. She glanced around and could see where she could add a few details. She’d love to put a?—

What the hell was she doing?

One night here and she was already thinking of redecorating it?

She shook her head and followed him to the front door.

They went outside and down the porch. They arrived at her vehicle, and he tossed her bag in the backseat.

It wasn’t a far drive to the bunkhouse. He slammed the door shut and turned to her.

He leaned back against the car and kept her in the cradle of his embrace.

He’d only thrown on shorts as she’d gotten dressed.

“What time are you working until?” he asked.

“Not sure.” She shrugged. Some days she had a set time she knew when she’d be getting off, some days she didn’t know until she was sent home by Buck. There was always plenty to do on a ranch. She loved the hard manual work that was part of being a hand.

“Why don’t I officially cook for us tonight. Faith is on call today, so I don’t need to work late. I’ll fire up the grill again and have the food ready for you whenever you get off.” There was a twinkle in his eyes.

“Will food be the only thing ready for me?” She arched an eyebrow. She couldn’t help but tease him. His bulge pressed into her stomach. She leaned into him and entwined her fingers together at the base of his neck. He was so much taller than her that she had to rise on her tippy toes to do so.

He grinned and tightened his hold on her.

“You never know. Just come by and you’ll have to see.” Ridge leaned down and took her lips in a soft kiss.

How was she to leave this man and go to work when he pulled moves like this? One moment, he was soft and sensual with her, the next commanding of her body in ways that left her breathless.

“I have to go, Ridge.” Her lips brushed his as she spoke. She smiled at him. If she didn’t stand firm with him, he’d have her naked and screaming his name again. Butterflies in her stomach fluttered at the image that came to mind. She reached behind her and undid his hands to free herself.

“Will you stop by, or do I need to come and get you?” He leveled her with a heated gaze.

Her breath caught in her throat as she took a step back from him. “I’ll text you when I know I’ll be getting off.”

He nodded and opened her car door for her. He waved her in. She ducked under his arm but didn’t miss the hint of his hand brushing her ass. She laughed and hopped in her car.

“Hey! What was that?”

“Something to hold me over until you come back to me.” He shut the door and tossed her a wink.

She hit the engine button for her car, and it roared to life.

She, again, couldn’t erase the silly grin from her lips.

She gave him a wave and threw the car in drive.

She tightened her grip on the steering wheel and drove away.

Her gaze drifted to the rearview mirror and took in his form. He watched her leave.

For some reason, a pain lanced acrossed her heart as the distance between them grew. She sighed and focused back on the dirt road. She had to get her mind together for work. This was a dangerous job, and she could get hurt if she didn’t concentrate.

The trip home didn’t take long. She parked her car and got out.

She snagged her bag and headed inside. She didn’t see any signs of Aimee, which was a relief.

She didn’t want to face her at the moment.

Not that she had to tell her anything, but they had an unspoken agreement to look out for one another.

Melah went into her room and dropped her bag on the bed. She paused, a realization hitting her.

In the few hours she’d slept at Ridge’s, she hadn’t had any nightmares. She’d slept soundly .

Was that all it took?

Get your world rocked by a handsome veterinarian then all of the nightmares will stay away?

She was sore in some places, and she was sure it would be worse come later, but overall, she felt damn good.

She glanced at her phone. She had to be at work in a little over an hour. She had time to grab her shower and a protein bar for breakfast. She’d just make sure she’d stop by for Ms. Bee’s lunch later. That would fill her up enough until dinner at Ridge’s.

Plan in place, she removed her clothes and grabbed her towel. She wrapped it around herself and walked into the shower room. She took her phone with her so she could listen to music while she washed up.