Chapter 12
POV: Cole?
That damned woman. That damned woman that set me on fire.
Every single hair on my body was standing up. My mind couldn’t stop thinking about punching that guy square in the jaw for even touching her, let alone looking at her. And something else was close to standing up, too.
My dick.
I was hard again. Hard thinking of the mere thought of her. Replaying what it felt like to be deep inside her again, marking her with my cum and claiming her as mine. Over and over again.
It was bad enough that I bought her clothing and took her out to eat. It was bad enough that I kept showing up at the bar, needing to see her.
As I fell asleep that night, I knew that tomorrow I would make a decision that would change the entire trajectory of everything I believed in—of the life I chose—the life I crafted.
For her.
And all for her.
All for some 22 year old girl who I shouldn’t want like I did, but I couldn’t help myself.
But all I could see was her. My goal.
The only goal that mattered to me.
Claiming her as mine. Making her understand that she was mine and mine alone.
I drifted to sleep to that very thought.
And when I woke up in the morning at 9:00 am, dressed, then drove my truck out to somewhere I shouldn’t even think of going to. I realized that I was too far gone to ever go back…now.
And two doorbell rings later, the most angelic figure stood in the doorway, clothed in a thin silk robe, her perky nipples barely covered by her satin night set and wisps of blonde hair falling across her shoulders.
“Uh, what are you doing here?” she asked in shock, covering herself with her robe, as if it would’ve stopped me from taking her right here and now.
But no, I couldn’t do that, though I could think of nothing else.
I came here for a different reason.
I came here to invite her to go riding with me on my ranch.
Domesticated shit.
“Can I come in?” I asked, leaning against the doorframe, watching as her gaze dipped lower to my arm, then my chest, then my abdomen, then lower.
She reddened. “No, that’s not a good idea. You’re lucky my dad went out to the store.”
“Sounds like a great time to invite me in.”
“He could come back any minute now, Cole!” she barked.
I couldn’t help but smirk, slightly, not fully, admiring her flusterness.
“Then come on,” I waved towards my truck.
Her gaze muddied in confusion.
“Come on, Abby,” I directed.
She stayed still in place, as her stubborn self wanted.
“No.” Her pink pouty lips almost caused me to throw her over my shoulder and carry her to the carry but I refrained. For now.
“Abby,” I warned, taking a step towards her, waiting for her to give in.
Her shoulders fell forward, signaling defeat, as her pout turned into something more like a smirk.
The little minx enjoyed this, didn’t she?
“I don’t expect you to tell me where we’re going?” she asked, hopeful.
I shook my head.
She let out a heavy sigh and turned and closed the door on me.
I almost went full rage. Almost.
But something inside me told me that she would return, in an outfit that would make my thoughts run wild.
“Wear something for the ranch,” I called out.
She’d probably wear a sundress just to fuck with me.
But to my surprise, she returned wearing a pair of wrangler bootcut jeans, worn brown cowboy boots, a long sleeve white shirt, holding a brown satchel bag and a brown jean jacket.
I looked her over once, making sure to study her, so that she could feel my gaze all over her body. Intense. I wanted her to feel my gaze burn a hole through her.
“I’m ready,” she replied, breezing past me and towards the truck.
God, that woman drove me fucking insane.
But I liked it.
Case and point.
I opened the truck door, waving her in, as she slid into the leather seat of my truck and tossed her hair back and kept her gaze straightforward purposefully ignoring me.
I wanted to laugh, but that would give her satisfaction, knowing I noticed, so instead I played it as I always did, cool and calm.
The ride was mostly silent until she turned to me with her arms folded. “Are you going to tell me where we are going and why?”
Silence.
I wanted to irk her a little.
“Cole,” she tried to warn me.
Cute.
Silence.
“Cole.” Her hand landed on my arm, squeezing my bicep.
And that was my fucking kryptonite.
Her tone completely undone me.
I turned towards her, eyes full of fire.
She smiled, like she won.
But I wasn’t going to let her get that satisfaction.
So, I moved my hand down to her thigh and squeezed it once for good measure.
She let out a gasp, one full with a mixture of shock and pleasure from my touch. Her face instantly changed bright pink as she flushed from embarrassment before turning her gaze towards the window.
“It’s not a crime to enjoy my touch, Abby.”
Silence.
So, she was playing my game now, or at least trying to.
“Do you really think you can ignore me?” I went to grab her leg again and she smacked my hand. Instead, I caught her hand in mine and held it.
For a moment, we both sat there, staring at each other, waiting for the other to crack. “We’re going to my ranch. I thought it would be nice to go on a ride.”
“A ride?” she cocked an eyebrow. “I hope you don’t think you can take me back to your ranch just to get laid.”
I ran my thumb over her hand. “I don’t think I’d need to go to my ranch to get laid.” And sent her a wink.
She rolled her eyes, pretending not to like my wit.
We passed the gates of my ranch, driving down the winding rocky road until we stopped in front of my homefront and stables.
For a moment, the silence was comfortable, my hand was still holding hers, though my grasp was a lot lighter than it was earlier, and she was captivated with the sight in front of her. “This—this is your ranch?”
The corner of my lips tugged into a half smile. “Yes.”
She turned to look at me, half mystified, half suspicious then said, “Let’s go on that ride then, cowboy.” She opened the door, jumped out of my truck and slammed the door behind her and kicked up dust.
I walked around the truck, placing myself inches away from her face, so close that I could hear her heart beating, “Oh, you’ll get your ride.”
Her throat bobbed as she struggled to breathe.