Page 12 of Unexpected Temptation

“A re you cold, Baby ?”

“Mmmm, no.”

Amelia tightened her grip. His heat was moving through the clothing between them.

“ Oh, God. Can I stay like this forever? ”

He sucked in a breath at her whispered words. He knew she was thinking out loud again and had to bite his tongue to keep from answering her question with a, “Hell, yeah, you can.”

Amelia hummed as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Jaylen chuckled. They made it to the stables as lightning hit close enough to startle the horses in the building. Both jerked violently. It had been too close.

“Dammit, I shouldn’t have brought you out.”

Amelia slid from his back.

“It’s not your fault. That was the first time I have seen lightning since this storm started.”

Jaylen brought her in front of him and moved the poncho’s hood off her head. He felt a bundle of need tighten his abs.

“I’m going to kiss you, is that okay?” He waited patiently for her nod before he gently cupped her face with his hands, his dark head dipped, and his lips took hers. Jaylen groaned when he felt the hesitant way she kissed back.

Amelia’s hand gripped his poncho as the strength leached out of her legs. She began mewling softly as she shyly ran her tongue over his before she tilted her head back to get a breath.

Her eyes opened with a look of shock at the kiss they had just shared.

His heart seized as he smoothed his hand over her long, silky hair. She looked and acted so damn innocent.

“Amelia, look at me.” He waited until she turned her head up and her eyes opened wider. “Don’t be embarrassed. I just need to know if you’re a virgin.”

“What? Why?” she sputtered. “I’m not,” she declared and took a few steps back.

Something about her demeanor worried him.

“Oh, no, you don’t. Come here.”

Amelia shook her head and took a quick glimpse behind her.

Jaylen sighed, reached for her, and brought her back against his chest.

“You need to tell me how much experience you’ve had and when was the last time you’ve had sex. I’m considerably bigger than you, Honey, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Do we really have to talk about this?” she asked, embarrassed.

He nodded. “Yes.”

Her head dropped down, and her gaze stayed on his chest, unable to look him in the eyes.

“Um, I’ve had sex a few times, and it was my freshman year in college, and I was engaged to a man.”

Jaylen’s eyebrows rose, and something twisted in his chest at the thought that there had been a chance he wouldn’t have had this opportunity, and she wouldn’t have been his.

He knew he would not have known her because their paths had zero chance of crossing, but even if he hadn’t known her, Jaylen knew he wouldn’t have found anyone who matched her.

“Where is he now?” he asked as he ran his hand up and down her back.

“He ... we broke it off.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Two years. I graduated from high school when I was seventeen and went to college right after.” Amelia looked down. “I don’t know why we have to talk about this,” she whispered in distress.

“Why did it end?” The relief that she was undeniably single made him feel lightheaded. In a short amount of time, this woman made his life feel like a roller coaster, but she’d already become a big part of his future.

Amelia shook her head and tried to pull away from his arms.

“I don’t want to talk about this now. Please,” she begged as she gripped the front of his poncho. “I don’t know why you even brought it up.”

“Because, Sweetheart, I’m pretty sure we’ll be in bed together damn quickly, and I want to know what I’m going to have to deal with.”

Amelia’s breath snagged in her throat, and she rolled her eyes.

“Jeeze, Jaylen. Aren’t you going a little fast? We just met, for God’s sake.”

Jaylen nodded. “Yeah, I am. I just know I won’t be able to hold back much longer.”

“But we’ve only known each other a day, if that.”

He smiled gently at her and swept the hair off her cheek.

“Yes, but can you honestly tell me you don’t feel the strong pull between us?”

Amelia threw her hands out in irritation.

“You know I do, but that doesn’t mean we have to give in.”

“You’re right, we don’t, but you promised we’d try this for a month.”

“I didn’t mean sex right off the bat.”

Jaylen took a step back and crossed his arms.

“Can you tell me you don’t want to touch me or have my hands on you? Because if I’m feeling this strongly after one day, I can’t imagine making it a few more days, much less a month.”

Amelia’s shoulders dropped.

“No, I want to touch you...”

Relief washed over him. “And?” he tenderly prompted when she paused.

“I like when you touch me.”

Jaylen pulled her to him again and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Baby. Just give us a chance. I promise not to rush.”

Amelia nodded against his chest. “Okay.”

Jaylen tilted her head back.

“Good,” he murmured, and then his head dropped again.

The kiss quickly turned heated and carnal.

When he felt his control start to slip, he ripped his mouth from hers.

“I’ve got to stop before it gets out of hand.

Besides, I don’t want to keep you out here too long.

Let me check on a horse that had an injury, and then we’ll go back to the house. ”

“Don’t rush on my account. I could stay out here all day.” Amelia looked down the wide walkway. She counted six stalls on each side. She got a glimpse of it when Jaylen was bringing them there, but hadn’t realized it was this big.

Jaylen smiled and brushed his thumb over her lips.

“This way,” he said, and grasped her hand. “It’s this next stall.” He released her hand and unbolted the stall door. “Easy, girl,” he crooned as he patted the horse’s neck and moved to the mare’s side. He took off the bandage and inspected the cut thoroughly.

“What happened to her?” she asked and stepped forward to pet the horse’s neck gently. She’d never get enough of the feel and smell of these beautiful animals.

Jaylen glanced up at her.

“She got her hock caught on something. Thankfully, one of the ranch hands found it quickly before it got infected.”

Amelia frowned, tilted her head, and tried to listen for other signs of humans. “Ranch hands?”

Jaylen opened a tin of ointment and put a generous amount on the cut before wrapping it in clean gauze.

“Yes, I’ve got about ten guys living here full-time and a few part-timers. Usually, kids who come back from college for the summer.”

“I haven’t seen anyone.”

Jaylen grinned. “On the back side of this barn and past, the stand of trees is the main part of my ranch.” He always liked the fact that most of his place was hidden from people.

****

“T here’s more to this place?” she asked with wide eyes. For him to have that many employees, this ranch had to be a lot bigger than she realized. Although the barn was large and newer, the house was more of a cabin and had been there for several decades, so it threw her off.

Jaylen chuckled. “Yesterday, you couldn’t see past the barn because of the rain, and I know the cabin is misleading, but I didn’t want to use any money for a house when the cabin was enough for me.

I needed stables and places for the hands to live comfortably.

Now I have enough money to build a bigger house, but I don’t have the time or the inclination to do so.

Maybe you can help me draw up plans for a house. ”

“What? Me?” she asked, surprised, and her hands stalled on the horse.

“Yeah, you. If I have my way, it’s going to be your house, and I want you to love it, and I’d like it big enough to fill with kids.”

Amelia sucked in a startled breath, swallowed in shock.

She couldn’t bind the emotions that bombarded and filled her with an overwhelming need.

Children. Her biggest dream. She had always wanted children—many children—and here was Jaylen, a man she was immensely attracted to, offering her just that.

If this didn’t work out, she knew she would never be the same.

She’d be a shell of a person and might never recover.

Jaylen wiped his hands on a towel, patted the horse, and then pulled her to him and tipped her head up with a hand under her chin.

“Hey, what are you thinking? You look sad.”

Fear was pushing her to pull back from the situation before it was too late. Everything about this man was from her dreams, and it seemed too good to be true. Things like this only happened in fairy tales, never to someone like her.

On the other hand, could she let this opportunity pass? She would never forgive herself if she walked away without giving this her all.

Amelia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“I want to try with you. So badly. I’m afraid, but I’ll try my best.”

Jaylen smiled and ran his thumb over her bottom lip, and his eyes stayed locked on hers.

“That’s good. I’m already confident this is going to work. I truly believe you were sent to me for a reason other than your sister, and there’s no way I’m letting you go.”