Page 31 of Wild Rose (Blue River Springs #1)

Wilder

Rose has been tucked under my arm all night. I wrapped it around her at some point last night when she muttered something about this feeling like her first time.

A selfish thought crossed my mind at that point.

I wish it was .

Then, an even scarier thought. I should be your only .

Yeah. That’s all it is. Me being selfish. Not possessive. She doesn’t belong to me. Not now. Not when I leave here.

And certainly not when she leaves here.

It’s not fair for me to hope I’d ruined her last night for anyone else.

Because after that first time we came together, I looked into her eyes and thought three words I didn’t dare breathe to her.

Made for me.

I’m considerably larger, but she just fits. And not just right here in my arms. The way she moves. The way she turns me on. The way she’s had me out of my damn mind for her—it’s unnatural.

I kiss her bare shoulder, my cock already hard and it’s barely dawn.

But I’m not ready to wake her.

Watching Rose sleep is my new favorite thing. I don’t remember ever having a favorite thing.

I knew I wasn’t leaving Rose last night. There was nothing sexual about the last time I stayed with her, but it was torture staying away all week.

Especially with visions of someone breaking into her room and attacking her.

She shifts with an adorable groan. Then opens her eyes.

A smile already there. “No.”

I frown. “What?”

“You told me to let you know in the morning .?.?. if that was our only time.”

I laugh, kissing the tip of her nose. “You been holding that in since we called it a night?”

“No. Since before we started.”

I’m so fucked.

We’re naked under the sheets and she has the nerve to twist away from me, her ass brushing my cock in the process.

I growl, gripping her waist. “Fuck, baby, unless you meant right now, you can’t move like that.”

She peeks over her shoulder, innocently, but I catch the glimmer in her eye. “Did I do something?”

“You asked for it.”

She giggles as I turn her onto her stomach. “So?”

“So you’re gettin’ it.”

I reach for my last condom and move over her. I’m relieved she hasn’t asked why I had condoms with me. Because I’m not about to tell her I stuffed them in my pocket in a moment of weakness before heading back out last night to play security guard at her cottage.

Which I did for about thirty seconds. It’s all it took for me to know she wasn’t home. Despite the lights on and her golf cart out front.

I press my lips against her skin before spreading her slightly. She looks over her shoulder, biting her bottom lip with her eyes at my groin. Anticipation all over her beautiful face.

I dip down and nip at her ass cheek while squeezing just under the other one. She fists the sheets and clenches. It’s enough to have my cock screaming to be inside her. To slide between where my fingers are heading.

I don’t want to rush this. I want to savor her.

I also know that when this is over, I’ll need to come clean to my best friend.

But fuck if I give a damn about that right now. Rose is a treasure. Fighting to recover from a horrible night all on her own.

“Wilder,” she pleads, rocking against my fingers. “Fuck me.”

I rub her slowly. Enjoying the torment more than I should. Tease the fuck out of this clit and have her begging until I thrust deep. I can practically hear the screams of ecstasy, feel her shaking with pleasure, building our friction all the while.

“Open your mouth.”

She does without question, and I reach over, setting the condom between her teeth.

She tears at the wrapper without missing a beat.

“That’s my girl,” I grit out of pure lust for this woman and slide on the condom.

I push inside her, wishing to hell there was nothing between us as I do. She’s so wet, I slide to the hilt, making her cry out. “Yes, more.”

Fuck, the way she feels, the sounds spilling out of her—it all makes my chest clench tight.

It’s a new sensation for me. One I need to force aside, focus on the here and now. I slide in and out of her, my mind racing with every position I want to take her, if I weren’t out of condoms.

Rose matches my rhythmic movements so well that I become still and let her take control.

“That’s it, baby, keep taking me all the way.”

It’s almost empowering as she takes the reins, riding me on her hands and knees, taking my cock at her own pace.

“Wilder.” Her breath hitches and freezes, clenching around me. I grip her hips, thrusting until she’s screaming into the pillow.

It’s got me coming undone. I come so hard, my thighs shake. This girl’s got me weak in the knees for her pussy.

For her.

I leave a gentle kiss on the small of her back before going to dispose of the condom and washing up.

When I return, Rose’s face is still buried.

For a second, I worry that I pushed it with her. But then she peeks over at me with a shyness that melts me. “Jesus, it’s broad daylight.” She turns over, keeping the sheet above her chest.

I slide back into bed and pull her against me. “And you’re goddamn beautiful in it.”

Crimson-flushed cheeks press against my chest. “That’s nice of you to say.”

I lift her chin. “I don’t say things I don’t mean. You take my breath away in any light.”

Her eyes brighten but she plays it off like she doesn’t believe me.

“How about some breakfast?”

She scrunches her nose. “How about some coffee?”

I press my forehead to hers. “How about some eggs and bacon with that coffee?”

She grumbles in agreement, and I reward her with a soft kiss, then slide on my boxers.

Stepping into the kitchen, I start the coffee and put the oven on before moving to the living-room window.

It’s overcast and rain is expected later this afternoon. I make a mental note of who I’ve got on weekend rotation today. Not all are experts on wet-weather maintenance.

I’m about to call Jeff—who I trust more than most—and remember the favor I asked last night.

Wilder: At the cottage. Can you pick up Tuscan from here and take him back to the stables?

I owe him an explanation for it at some point. My guess is Jeff’s already figured out something’s weird about Rose and me.

That’s Jeff language for anything that has to do with sex or romance. Like when he noticed Dad coming to the front office a little too often to talk to Ginger or take her to lunch. “Somethin’ weird happenin’ with those two,” he’d say.

Picking up my phone to dial him, I find a message from Dallas.

Dallas: Hey, you all right?

It’s barely nine and he’s already up? For the last two months it was me asking him if he was all right. I respond with a dodge to his question.

Wilder: You’re up early.

Dallas: Jackass. Was going to check things out on the field today. It’s getting dark out there. Gonna be a heavy one. Do we have enough hands?

Shit. I’m going to need to be out there. Or at least one of us does.

Dallas: Where are you?

I hear the shower running from the bathroom. I run my hand through my hair. I don’t kiss and tell. Ever. But my brother and I have an understanding that when something affects the other—the ranch, or someone we care about—we don’t hide shit. We’re upfront.

It’s why he doesn’t lie to me when I ask him where he’s been or who his fight was with.

It’s how we work. How Dad raised us. And I can trust him.

Wilder: With Rose.

Dallas: Like since this morning?

Wilder: Like since last night.

There’s a pause in his response time.

Dallas: Does Wes know?

Wilder: No. Keep an eye on things for me today? Equipment, floods, you know the drill.

Dallas: Yeah, yeah, will do. And thank you.

Wilder: For what?

Dallas: For the biggest smile I’ve had in months.

Wilder: Well, wipe it off your face. This is nothing.

Dallas: No. But doesn’t mean you’re not equally fucked.

Fifteen minutes later, Rose emerges from the bedroom, her dark hair wet and her face glowing with something shiny. She’s in that short cotton nightgown I found her in the other night and a grey cotton bathrobe that reaches her knee.

She smells fucking incredible. Like lavender and roses. “I smell bacon.”

I push a steaming cup of coffee her way. “Thank you. Why’s it so dark in here?”

“It’s going to rain and I closed your curtains in case .?.?. we want the lights on.”

She scans the room then turns to me, her eyes brighter than the sun. “Are you staying?”

I finish plating our breakfast and move over to her. “Was thinking about it. You got plans?”

She shakes her head, suppressing a grin.

I lift her off her feet and set her on the counter. “Shame you showered. You’re going to get dirty again real soon.”

She picks up a strip of bacon and bites into it. “You’re teasing me again. I don’t believe you’re not going out there today.”

“Oh, I am. As soon as I feed you, I’m racing back over to my house for more condoms.”

Her eyes flash with excitement but she’s got nothing but sass this morning as she pokes my chest playfully. “Makin’ plans without me, huh?”

I hook my hands behind her knees and slide her against me. She gasps at the contact, that familiar arousal heating her forest-green eyes. “I think I can get you on board with these plans.”

She laughs and it’s like music. Light, easy, free. A sound that annoyed me when she first got here, and now .?.?. I think I know why.

I can’t like the sound of her laugh. Or notice how good it feels to be next to her when she does.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea on what this is—I need to set some things straight.

After we eat, I peek outside and check my messages and the forecast. Still dark but no rain yet.

I’m about to sit her down—wishing I wasn’t breaking the mood before noon—when her phone rings.

Rose glances at the screen and looks up at me. “It’s Wesley.”

I cock my head to the front door. “At least he called first.”

She answers on the second ring. “Hey, Wes.”

His voice blasts through the speaker and Rose jerks it away from her ear. On instinct, I lift the threat out from her hands and put it on speaker.

Like I’m going to say a damn word.

Rose gives me a pleading look and takes the phone from me but keeps it on speaker.