Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Emma
S he totally just left me here.
I almost stood to my feet and excused myself, but… I was way too curious about this small-town sheriff, and so I stayed right where I was sitting—in a tank top that was way too tight. However, the look on his face when he saw me was worth it.
“So, this happens every year?” I asked, noting that the sheriff hadn’t touched his food since I sat down.
“Yeah, my buddy, Lucas, has been putting it on since his father passed away about ten years ago. His dad always wanted to do something like this, but he just didn’t have the time with running the ranch.”
“So how does Lucas manage to put it on?”
“He’s a lot more social than his dad, and just asked the town for help. It started out as like a memorial dinner, but then… turned into this,” he chuckled, dimples forming in his cheeks. It was adorable—in a sexy way. I hadn’t been so drawn to someone in years …
“It’s amazing the community that’s here,” I admitted, still leaning against my hand. “I’ve only had my café open for about a month, and I already have a steady flow of customers. Even if I was set up in a place like Austin, I don’t think I’d have had the level of success I’ve had here.”
“Well, your food is amazing,” Sheriff Hewitt said, leaning back in his chair. “But also, that’s just the kind of town this is. Everyone wants to see everyone succeed, and we support the people who live here.”
“Yeah, it’s been humbling. I didn’t grow up here—like Lily—but everyone just accepted me like I belonged.” It was the truth, too. I hadn’t felt like I fit somewhere in a very long time, and it was nice to feel at home here. I thought that maybe it was just Lily, but I was starting to realize the whole town was full of kind and caring people.
“New people move here some, and as long as whoever it is doesn’t roll in like they’re going to take over the place…” I paused. Like developers. “Then we’re very accepting of them.”
“That’s good to know. Are you thirsty? I saw that there was a chest of beer by all the food. I’m not going to lie, this whole thing has me feeling beer vibes.”
“ Vibes ,” he burst into laughter. “That weird, hippy word again.”
“It’s not a hippy word,” I teased, shaking my head. My hair bounced on my shoulders. I had softened my curls to more of waves for the evening, and it was the reason I was late…
My hair had always been difficult to tame.
“It is a hippy word, but I could use a beer, yeah.” He pushed back from the table, grabbing up his plate.
“Hey, who’s this?” a blonde cowboy appeared, furrowing his brow at me before his gaze bounced to the sheriff.
“This is Emma Fisher,” he introduced me, clearing his throat. “Emma, this is my best friend, Lucas Lowe. He’s the one who started all this.”
“Nice to meet you.” I shook the hand he held out. “This is a really cool event. I’ve never been to anything like it.”
“Well, welcome to Millfield. You can come once a year,” he shot me a wink, and I could already see the difference between the two friends. “But yeah, you’re the one who opened Sweets and Eats, right?”
“Yeah, that’s me.”
“Some of my hands are always bringing food from there to the barn. I keep telling myself I ought to go into town and try whatever else is on the menu. I’ll definitely make sure that I do now. I take it Mason is showing you around?” He eyed the silent sheriff beside me.
“Yeah, we were just going to grab some beers,” I said, smiling over at him.
He stole a glance over at me before looking back to Lucas. “Yeah, here, you should probably eat.” He thrust the plate at Lucas, who gave him a smirk that made me nearly laugh out loud.
“You have yourself a good time, bud.” He chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. “Enjoy the evening, Miss Fisher.”
“Thank you,” I said to him, letting Mason lead the way to the ice chest. He flipped it open and grabbed two Coors.
“Is this okay?”
I nodded. “I don’t think there are any other options.”
“Ah, you’d be correct then.” He popped the top off them, tossing the caps into the trash and holding mine out.
“Thanks,” I said, taking it from him and taking a swig. I wasn’t a huge fan of Coors, but honestly, it fit the atmosphere of the entire event, so I didn’t mind it. “Do you wanna dance? Show me around the place, maybe? I’ve never been to a ranch like this.”
He thought for a moment, sipping his beer, before nodding. “Do you like horses?”
I hesitated. “I took some lessons as a kid and enjoyed them, but I haven’t been around them since. I don’t think I want to go like… ride , tonight.”
He burst into a deep, husky laugh that made my thighs clench. “Oh, there’s no way we’re going riding, but my horse, Jett, stays in the horse barn. I can show him to you? My daughter’s rodeo horse, Bay, is here as well.”
“Yeah, that actually sounds nice. I’m not really a big dancer—or big about these kinds of gatherings.”
“Me either.” He nodded in a direction away from the large gathering outside a large red barn. I didn’t figure it was a horse barn since it was immaculate and open.
Oh, and there were no horses.
“He’s got a massive house,” I pointed to the mansion of a ranch house across the clearing.
“He’s got a wealthy inheritance,” Mason said in a flat voice. “We’ve been friends for years. I actually built my house on the other side of the ranch.” He pointed across the wide-open field—though I couldn’t see any signs of a house. “You can’t see it from here, but yeah.”
“That’s a really good friend.” My boots crunched across the dried mud as we made our way to a barn twice the size of the one we had just left.
“Don’t give him too much credit,” Mason chuckled. “I work my ass off for the ranch when I’m not working. Well, maybe not all the time, but I spend a lot of time here.”
I nodded, taken back as Mason slid the door open, light streaming out. Horses nickered in response, and I took in the massive barn. It had a large aisleway, stalls on each side. At the end of the aisleway, it appeared to lead to an indoor arena.
“It’s nice, huh?” Mason nudged me in the arm as he slid the door back shut. “Lucas won’t care that we’re down here, but I don’t think he wants everyone to take it as an invitation.”
“This is so nice,” I remarked as I made my way down the aisle, taking a look at all the horses. “Oh, this must be yours?” I noted the sign above saying Jett.
“That’s him,” Mason leaned against the opening as a solid black horse greeted him. “He’s a good horse.”
“He’s beautiful,” I murmured, stroking his neck.
“Yeah, he is,” Mason agreed, before chucking his empty beer into a trash can across the way. “You want another? There’s a fridge in the lounge.”
I downed the rest of mine. “I wouldn’t say no.” Following him to the office, I tossed my bottle into the same trash can. He punched a code on a door that I hadn’t realized was nestled in between the stalls. My heart skipped a beat as I brushed against him, stepping through the doorway.
One whiff of his cologne, and my body was already mentally picturing what could happen here… Especially as I took in the massive leather couch and table. It was luxurious, decorated with tons of trophies, pictures, and ribbons.
“He’s got a great program here,” Mason mentioned, handing me another open beer. I took a sip, still inhaling Mason’s cologne as it filled the room.
What is wrong with me?
My mouth went dry as I took in the drop-dead gorgeous man only a few feet away from me. “So, do you ever show horses?” My voice came out a little less even, and I hoped that Mason didn’t notice my nerves.
“That one’s me,” he pointed to one of the pictures on the wall. I took a step forward to see a little better, but the toe on my cowboy boot caught the rug…
And I lost my balance.
This is so embarrassing.
However, as I braced to drop my beer and land on my face, a strong arm threaded around my waist, pulling me back to my feet—and right into his chest. My breath hitched as his hit my face. I tilted my head up, meeting those piercing blue eyes, suddenly unable to remember what the hell I was doing…
“Caught ya,” he said, his tone husky as he continued to hold my gaze.
“Thanks,” I squeaked, mentally making a note that I needed to step away from the handsome sheriff…
But my body never moved.
And in my defense, he didn’t either.
Before I could register what I was doing, I was on my tiptoes, my lips headed right for his…
And he met me halfway, his hot lips colliding with mine.
You’re being reckless…
I ignored the voice in my head as my lips parted for him, and I allowed his tongue to enter my mouth. A moan escaped my lips as his hands dropped lower, brushing the curvature of my hips. My hands dug into the fabric of his light blue paisley button down, a cowboy cut that I found strikingly sexy.
Our kiss grew heavier as he held me closer to him, his large erection pressing into my stomach. My pussy moistened at the sensation, not having felt something like that in so long. My fingers trembled with eagerness as I began to snap his pearl snap loose, button by button. As he shrugged out of the shirt, he lifted my white tank top over my head, revealing my lacy bra beneath.
His pupils dilated at the sight of my breasts nearly spilling over the top. “You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I nearly whispered before glancing over to the shut door. “Is that…”
“It locks automatically,” he panted before drawing my lips back to his. Our kiss grew hot and messy as his palms found my tits, slipping between the padding and my bare skin. He groaned into my mouth as he squeezed them.
My hand ran over his erection, and I undid his belt buckle at record speed. His cock bounced free, and I broke our kiss, taking in the sight of the thick shaft. My pussy ached with desire, wanting the dick of a man I barely knew deep inside of me. It was by far the wildest thing I’d ever done.
I considered dropping to my knees, tasting it for myself, but Mason was quicker in undoing my jeans. He jerked them and my underwear down around my legs, and I managed to kick them—and my boots—off the rest of the way, exposing my entire lower half.
“ Fuck, those hips,” Mason groaned, pulling my almost bare body to him. His lips landed on my neck as his fingers slid along my bare abdomen, not stopping until his hand slid between my legs. “And you’re so wet.”
His deep voice turned me on, and I could hardly breathe as his thumb rubbed my clit. Bringing my body quickly to an edge that I hadn’t experienced at the hand of another in so long.
“Fuck me,” I whined into the side of Mason’s head as he sucked some of my skin into his mouth. It stung just enough that I knew there’d be a hickey, but that thought only seemed to turn me on more—and I wanted him right then. “ Please just fuck me.”
He let out a sexy grunt as I tugged at his hair. “I gotta find a condom,” he said in a rushed voice. One of his hands left mine, pulling his wallet out of the back of his jeans. Fumbling with it, he finally dug out a foil packet.
“That looks worn,” I panted, not that I cared in the slightest.
“It’s been there a long time,” he chuckled unevenly, ripping it open. I plucked it from the foil and stretched it over his cock, loving the sharp breath that came from him in response. “God, I want you so bad,” he growled, sweeping me up off my feet…
And planting my pussy right down on his cock.
I let out a cry from the sudden penetration, but it stimulated me in just the right place, rubbing my g-spot. I had never had that sort of feeling before, and so I began to squirm against it, rocking my ass as I rode the pleasure.
“You like this?” he murmured in my ear, his hot breath tickling my neck. His strong arms began to bounce me up and down and my lips found his again, heightening the arousal. I knew that it was only a matter of minutes before I exploded, and so I let my body work in rhythm with his.
“ Ooh, oh, oh, ” I moaned into his mouth, my orgasm coming faster than I expected.
“Oh shit,” Mason let out a loud groan, stumbling forward and pinning me against the wall as my pussy pulsed down on his dick. He pumped into me a few more times after I came down before his entire body tensed and I felt his cock release inside of me.
Oh my god, I just had a random hook up.
The reality slammed into me before he had even pulled out, but the moment my feet hit the floor, I went grabbing for my clothes, avoiding the kiss that he was leaning in to give me.
“Uh…” Mason’s eyes went wide as I rushed past him. “Are you… okay?”
I slid into my jeans, pulling them up and ignoring the tingling after sensation from his large cock and my orgasm. “I… I think you should know that I don’t do that kind of stuff.”
“It’s okay. We just got a little caught up,” Mason said coolly, tossing the condom into the trash can after buttoning himself back up.
I hated the fact that him standing there shirtless was so freaking hot, and as I slipped on my jeans, my mind started spinning. I wasn’t in the place for a relationship—I was focused on my business—and I had no idea what kind of guy Mason even was. Didn’t Lily say that he was the most unavailable guy ever? Did he just fuck women and leave them?
“Emma…” his voice trailed off as he took a step forward. “Can I get you some water or something?”
I shook my head. “I… I don’t do this sort of thing. I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.” I shoved him and ripped the door open, not even able to bring myself to look back at him.
I hope I just didn’t ruin my reputation in this town.