Tangled Temptation (Quick Silver Ranch #2)

1. Chapter One

Chapter One

I ’m pathetic. Angie Davidson sat at the table and watched her best friend, Becca, and her husband, Tyler, enjoy the bride and groom dance.

It had been six months since Becca’s trip to the ranch and reconnecting with Tyler.

Quick Silver Ranch never looked more beautiful to her, with the large flower-laden pavilion tents shading the guests from the sun.

The place was filled with joy, laughter, and love.

And she was jealous.

Jealous of Becca finding her man, jealous of losing her best friend, and jealous of everyone’s happiness. Angie knew that wasn’t fair, but it was how she felt. Heck, she was the one who sent Becca to the ranch where she found Tyler, her previous lover.

Angie had spent the last two days at the ranch helping Becca prepare for her wedding. Not that she hadn’t enjoyed herself—she had. But with that fun came the realization that her best friend was now living at the ranch, a two-hour drive from her.

Not really far, but there would be no more late-night calls to go out for ice cream, impromptu window shopping, and Angie would be alone in San Francisco. She was truly happy for her friend, very happy, but loneliness had begun to settle in, and she hated it.

She hated it as a kid at the orphanage—until she was adopted. She hated it as a teenager since her adopted brothers were all older. She was always the one standing alone, never picked for anything, and never fitting in. As she got older, she appreciated her adoptive parents and brothers.

At least with Becca, she had a friend she could share a bottle of wine with, go out to the movies or dinner, or just watch chick flicks and cry.

Someone she could discuss sex with and not feel like an outcast.

She forced her gaze from the happy couple and glanced around the pavilion, only to have Jared Turner amble into her line of sight.

At six foot two and with an aura of authority, he stood out among the wedding guests in his tux.

Maybe guests wasn’t the right word. Everyone here was an employee of the Quick Silver Ranch except her.

Becca had chosen not to invite her mother—boy, was that a long story— and Tyler had no family.

Besides, Becca had told Angie the employees of the ranch were her friends, as they had accepted Becca with open arms as the ranch caterer.

Angie wondered how it would feel to be part of this special family.

Angie hated it when self-pity hit her. She was happy for her friend, but her emotions were a tangled knot in her throat.

Pushing her thoughts away, her gaze traveled over Jared’s fine form. She sighed. He was a real man, and he didn’t treat her like the indecisive men she’d dated. No. Jared took charge. And it turned her on. Her nipples grew hard every time she saw him.

That was an unusual reaction for her. It was the man himself.

In the short time she’d known him, Jared showed the confidence to take anything on.

Nothing like the men in her life or at her job.

She worked for an accounting firm as an assistant and climbed the company ladder, but somehow along the way, she’d become one of the boys.

They all looked to her for decisions and they deferred to her in conversation.

She was tired of it. She wanted a man who would take control, at least for a little while. Jared was the man to do it.

How can I get him to respond to me?

Becca and Tyler were leaving for their honeymoon later today. Angie wasn’t expected to return to the city for two weeks. She’d planned it that way. She needed a distraction, something to break her out of this somber mood.

Could I seduce Jared tonight? Well, maybe not quite seduce. The goal was for him to take her to bed and dominate her for the night. She wanted to lie back and enjoy, not do all the work.

A feminine squeal caught her attention, and Angie saw Tyler had dipped Becca low as they danced. Angie grinned. They were so perfect for each other, so in love.

Angie jumped when a masculine hand closed over hers on the table. She tilted her head and saw Jared, his brown eyes twinkling and a grin playing around his sensual lips. Her heart jumped.

Without a word, he pulled her to her feet and out onto the makeshift dance floor.

Yes. Maybe he was attracted to her and maybe seducing him would be easier than she’d thought.

The music had changed. Angie remembered she was the maid of honor, and Jared was the best man; they were required to dance with each other. Her good mood plummeted.

She rested her left hand on his shoulder, and he grasped her right hand, his left hand against her lower back. Blood surged through her veins as they began to waltz. Thank goodness she’d taken dancing lessons years ago. Jared held her close as they danced.

“It’s a beautiful wedding,” she said and winced at her inane comment.

“Yes.” Jared glanced at the couple dancing. “I’m glad I could do something for Becca and Tyler.” His voice was whisky smooth.

“They’re great together, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

Angie stopped talking and drank in the feel of his body against hers as they danced. His hardness to her softness. His hold was the only thing keeping her from melting into a puddle at his feet. She wanted him, so why wasn’t she making a move?

Come on, where is that brave, daring woman?

“Becca mentioned you’re closing the ranch for a while.” She shifted closer to him.

His hand pressed the slightest bit harder on her back as he gazed at her. “Two weeks. We have some renovations to make, and the staff needs some downtime. It works out perfectly with Tyler gone.”

“How much can be done in two weeks? When the offices where I work were renovated, it took months.” And the workmen came to me to solve problems instead of senior management.

“A lot—if you know how to motivate people.”

“Oh?” She tilted her head and fluttered her lashes at him, corny, she knew, but hopefully effective. “And how would you do that?”

He grinned. “Lots of money.” He shifted so there was less space between their bodies.

Her fingers trailed over his broad shoulders to his neck. She stroked his dark brown hair. His hand tightened on her lower back, bringing their hips together, his erection firm against her, even with their formal clothing. Yes! Maybe tonight will work out after all.

Angie skimmed her hand from his neck over his back, fingers dancing against his spine, to his well-defined ass. She rested her palm over one cheek and squeezed.

“Behave.” His breath brushed her ear as he swatted her ass.

“You hit me!” He actually smacked my ass! Not that it hurt—it hadn’t. But now, heat flowed through her veins. How had one little swat made her so hot and needy?

“I’ll do worse if you don’t behave yourself, Angie.”

“Promise?” The word slipped from her before she realized it. The music ended and Jared kept his arm around her waist as he escorted her back to the table and pulled out her chair.

Before she could sit, he cupped her cheeks and tilted her head up. “We’ll talk later.” He dropped a brief, hard kiss on her lips before he released her and strode away.

Her heart skipped several beats as she watched him cross the room. Her hand rose to her lips as she sank onto the chair. Oh, yeah. If he met her later, there wouldn’t be any talking.

***

Jared strode across the tent as he struggled to control his libido.

Have I lost my mind? Nope, just control of his libido. Angie was a force to be reckoned with, and he was just the man to take her in hand.

Since the day she’d stepped foot on the ranch, his mind and body reacted. She was beautiful in the classic sense. It amused him when she tried to force her blonde hair into clips and it continually escaped; his dick hardened every time he caught her staring at him with those deep blue eyes.

His reaction to her surprised him. She knew how to use her sex appeal to her full advantage, and he could tell she was used to being in full control, which might be an issue if he continued on the path he wanted.

He’d noticed over the past few days her innate ability to take charge—with the vendors, with Becca, with the ranch staff. Giving orders seemed second nature for Angie.

Would she release that control in the bedroom? Jared shook his head.

His psyche was one of dominance. Unless he could dominate a woman in the bedroom, in their sex life, he couldn’t be satisfied. There weren’t a lot of women willing to give up total control to a man, even a man they professed to love.

It was very possible Angie couldn’t or wouldn’t either. He’d have to test her before he took this any further.

But was that the right thing to do? He put his hands in his pockets. Jared hadn’t questioned his life choices in a long time.

Something had nagged at the back of his head ever since Tyler and Becca announced their engagement. Something he couldn’t quite define but wouldn’t go away. And being introduced to Angie hadn’t quieted that voice at all.

Tyler was one lucky man to find Becca, a woman who enjoyed his sexual games and didn’t mind what they did at the ranch. Jealousy hit Jared hard. He wanted someone like Becca in his life.

A woman who accepted him for who and what he was. Would that ever happen? Not based on his past experiences with women. Most of them thought they could change him or ran from him.

Across the room, Vic, the ranch’s chef, wheeled out the wedding cake.

Good . The party was almost over. Once it was done, he would get Angie alone and see how serious she was about wanting more from him. Her single word of promise made his dick thicken.

***

An hour later, Jared walked with the happy couple to their waiting vehicle.

“Don’t work too hard while we’re gone,” Becca said, standing on her toes to brush a kiss over his cheek.

“Mind your own business, woman.” Jared smiled at Becca. “You are to enjoy your honeymoon and not worry about what I’m doing.” He wasn’t about to tell Becca about the sensual activities he wanted to do with her best friend. It was better left unsaid.

“We’ll enjoy it all right, thanks to you,” Tyler said.

Jared waved his hand in dismissal. Yes, he’d paid for the exclusive trip to the Meadowood resort in Napa Valley. Tyler was his best friend and business partner, and it was the least he could do for the couple.

He stood with the others watching the couple drive away. As the group broke up, he turned and noticed Angie standing not ten feet away. His blood heated. She did that to him. And his cock took notice too.

She lowered those lush lashes before her gaze skimmed down his body to stop at his groin. When their gazes reconnected, he saw the need and raw desire there. Now was the time to deal with Angie and find out what she really wanted.

Her eyes widened as his body pressed against hers. “Yes, or no?” he hoarsely rasped. When she didn’t answer. “I’m done playing games.”

She trembled slightly against him and he was about to back off when she licked her lips and said, “Yes. Oh yes.”

Consent. He leaned down and took her lips with his, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. He tasted the slight sweetness from what he thought was the wedding cake, but probably was Angie’s own natural taste. He broke the kiss, and she leaned on him as if she couldn’t stand on her own two legs.

Elation filled him. She wasn’t running or telling him off. “I’m not like other men.” Would she be able to handle his compelling need for dominance?

“I don’t want other men. I want you.”

“Fine. I understand you have the next two weeks off. You can spend them here, but if you stay, you’ll play by my rules. I’ll be the one in charge. The rest we can discuss later.”

She nodded, her breathing shallow.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” Jared released her and walked away, his body protesting with every step he took. He had to set the tone of this test and their relationship from the beginning. She’d either turn tail and run or rage at him. Maybe she’d stay, but he doubted it.

It would be interesting to see what she’d do.