Page 7 of Wrangled and Tangled (Raven Peak Ranch #1)

S pencer turns, his eyes widen slightly, and I start to wonder if the beer was too bold a move. If I misread the few interactions we’ve had.

“My apologies,” he says as a smile blooms on his face, “I didn’t realize I was on a timer.”

Chuckling, I shake my head, “Naw, no timer, but I was startin’ to wonder if you were gonna show up.”

He licks his lips after taking a sip of the beer I bought, and something about watching his throat work as he swallows has my dick twitching in my jeans.

His lips are full and the perfect shade of pink.

His wiry mustache and beard are a golden color I wanna touch again.

Feeling the coarse hair and tangling my fingers in it while we kiss.

I’m not sure what it is about him. Maybe it’s the easy way in which he holds himself or the quiet nature of him. Either way, I want to chase.

“I guess I was testin’ to see if you were actually lookin’,” he replies with an arched brow and a small grin.

Fuck .

Is he flirting with me?

“I’m a man of my word, Spencer, and I’d never lie about lookin’ for a handsome face like yours,” leaning in to whisper the last part of my sentence closer to him, I catch a whiff of his cologne.

Subtle spicy notes and the undercurrent of sweat have me lickin’ my lips.

If my words aren’t clear enough for him, I don’t think anything will be.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re hittin’ on me, Mr. Macabe,” he says, sounding breathier than before. Less sure, more surprised, or turned the fuck on.

“And if I was?” I ask, praying to God that he’s just as excited about the possibility as I am.

He shrugs with a wolfish grin, which sends sparks straight to my cock, then backs away, downs the last of his beer, and says, “How about we see if you can dance first?”

Spencer’s strides onto the dance floor are easy yet confident. His feet jump into the rhythm of the dance without a hiccup. It’s almost as if he created the damn dance itself. His boots glide across the floor with sure, steady movements, and his smile, good God, it’s infectious.

People flock to the dance floor, rockin’ and moving their legs and hips, shufflin’ across the dance floor. He replaced his cowboy hat with a baseball cap. It’s sitting backward on his head, and fuck, if it’s not the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.

Swallowing down the nerves swirling in my stomach, the heel of my boot clicks on the floor, and I’m immediately swept into the movements of the dance. One look at Spencer, and he winks, not a hitch in his step.

I, on the other hand, miss the step and bump right into the woman in front of me. My cheeks heat, and Spencer laughs. With his head thrown back and his neck exposed, I’m having a real hard time keeping my dick in check.

I’ve never found anyone this alluring, this all-encompassing. So fucking hot.

He knows it, too. He has to know, with the looks thrown his way by the majority of the people in this bar, I’d wager he gets propositioned often.

“You’re not very good at dancing, are ya?” He’s still chuckling as he pulls us from the dance floor. His hand’s warm in mine, a bit slick, but I don’t care. He’s holding on to me like a teenager would. There’s something carefree and eager about it that makes me smile.

My cheeks are gonna go numb. I can’t remember the last time I’ve smiled this much.

“I’m not used to chasin’,” I admit, stopping our rush off the dance floor and pulling him into my body. My eyes meet his nose, so I have no choice but to look up into his beautiful green eyes.

“I heard somethin’ about that,” he’s slow to smile, a grin that pulls his cheeks up and makes his eyes squint.

“Oh, you did, huh?” I whisper, “So how do you feel about gettin’ outta here with me?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he says, leaning down into my space. So close, he’s practically kissing me already. His breath breezes over my lips, and I have to stop myself from closing the minuscule gap between us to kiss him properly.

Too soon, he’s stepping back and with a wave to the woman behind the bar, he guides us to the door. Our boots scraping over the dirt is the only sound other than the crickets and the frogs singing their nightly songs.

The sky’s lit with stars, bright white lights among a deep navy sky. Spencer’s pulling me toward a red truck that looks like a classic, minus the shiny exterior. Our arms outstretched, linked in the middle with warm, calloused fingers.

The smile he throws over his shoulder makes me lose all sense, and while he’s searching in his pocket for what I assume are his keys, I crowd his back against the metal of the door and plant my lips on his.

His lips tip up before he’s kissing me back.

His lips are soft, and he tastes like beer and temptation.

My tongue flicks his, and he groans, wrapping his hand around the side of my neck as he adjusts me the way he wants, fingers tangling in my beard.

His hands, rough and calloused, squeeze my neck.

In a blink, he’s spinning us, slamming my back into the truck, and ravishing my mouth like it’s his personal mission to turn my knees to goo.

My stomach flips, and my whole body feels like it’s been zapped by lightning. There’s a zing between us, much more than a simple spark, and I can’t wait to see where it leads.

“While I’m enjoyin’ this, I’d much rather have my way with you in my bed,” he rumbles against my lips.

Nodding through the delirium of this kiss, I grind my hips into his so he knows exactly how excited I am, too. How fucking hard I’ve been watching him dance and smile on the dance floor.

“Eager, Cowboy,” his voice is still gravely, low, and playful.

Opening the door, he gestures for me to slide in, which I do without question. This man could murder me, and at this point, I think I’d say thank you as long as he fucks me first.

In a blink, the old truck’s moving, and we’re flying down a dirt road past The Raven. I can’t bother looking out the windows, not with Spencer driving with one hand on the wheel and the other on my leg. His fingers trail up and down my thigh while I groan, leaning my head back on the glass.

“I might die in here,” I mumble. My cock is stiffer than it’s ever been, and I’m fucking dying for this man to wreck me.

He chuckles, “I think you’ll be just fine.”

Pulling up to a little house set back into a pasture, he puts the truck in neutral and twists in his seat to look at me. His eyes are curious, as if he wants to ask me something, only he leans in, hand rising and twisting the lock of my hair that’s fallen forward.

“You sure you wanna go inside?” He asks, and my brows pull down.

“Second thoughts?” I question, trying to hide the water he doused on my fiery nerves.

He shakes his head and leans back against the seat, running his hand over his beard. With a sigh, he whispers, “It’s been a while, and I’ve only ever jumped into bed with one other person without knowin’ more than their name. I just need to know you want this.”

Biting my bottom lip to suppress my smile, I scoot closer, “I want this. What else do you want to know?”

His head lolls to my side, and he blinks slowly before smiling. “Would you like to come inside?”

Nodding my head, he squeezes my hand and opens his door. Once he’s stepping out, I follow him to the porch steps. The house is small, modest. Deep walnut stains the stairs and railing, up to a porch that has the most incredible view.

It’s dark, but I can imagine the sun rising over the pasture below. I’ll bet they have beautiful mornings here. There’s a swing to my left, and a few rocking chairs dot the rest of the space, as if Spencer’s front porch is where people come to visit.

Twisting the knob on the door to his house, he pushes it open and throws a smile over his shoulder.

There’s a light on in the kitchen, giving the rest of the house a yellow glow, a coat rack to the right, and beyond that the living room sits with brown leather couches that look well loved.

The inside looks like a cabin, all wood and warmth.

The fireplace across from the couches is empty and clean, given the warm summer night.

The kitchen boasts dark wooden cabinets, a small island with items scattered about, and two stools slid under the overhang of the countertop. There’s three doors on the back wall, one with photos pinned to it, and the other two left blank.

“Make yourself comfortable, wanna beer?” Spencer’s voice pulls my attention away from the house. His thumb’s hooked over his shoulder toward the fridge.

“Sure,” I want more than that, but he seems nervous all of a sudden, and I want him back to the confident man he was back at the bar. “You said it’s been a while since you jumped into bed with someone.”

Handing me the offered beer, he joins me on the couch where I have indeed made myself comfortable.

“I’ve been with others since then. It’s only…” he sighs, pulling his cap off his head and running his hands through his golden hair. He laughs and shakes his head, “I don’t do one-night stands, usually.”

Taking a swig of beer, I turn, perching my leg up on his couch so I can pull my boots off. “Well, seein’ as I’ve got time, ask me whatever you want.” Placing my boots beside the couch, we lock eyes, and he turns away with a smug smile. Scooting closer, I don’t touch him, even though I’m dying to.

He huffs out a breath, “What do I even ask that’s not gonna sound judgemental, or rude?”

“What if I ask the first question?” I offer, and his head lifts, eyes sliding toward mine. He nods and takes a long drink. “How long have you lived here?”

“My whole life,” he chuckles, “that can’t be what you wanted to know.”

“Why not?” I scoff.

“Because you came home with me to get laid, not to learn anything about me.” Placing his beer on the floor beside his boots, he lifts back up, looking me over.

“Why can’t both of those statements be true?” Raising my brow and cocking my head to the side, I study him.

“Because you’re Heath Macabe, bronco rider extraordinaire, and I’m a mechanic from podunk nowhere,” he leans back into the couch, eyes trained on the ceiling.

“I’m also from a small town where nothing happens, other than that one couple who always has some sort of drama to throw into town gossip.

I’ve known I was bisexual since I was twelve and kissed my best friend, who became my flankman, Eddie.

And I think there’s more to you than just being a mechanic.

There’s a story in you, and I fully intend on pullin’ it out of you.

” Leaning into his space as I finish, planting my lips on his neck where his pulse jumps behind his tan skin.

“Most importantly, I’m very interested in seeing you naked. ”