* * * *
Stacy allowed Eric to lead her upstairs to the bedroom. She wasn’t sure if it was his, Max’s, or a guest room, but it was really big with a king-size bed. He closed the door with his boot as he held her hand, leading her closer to the bed.
“I should really go home tonight. I haven’t been there in days,” she stated, and he squeezed her hand. He immediately placed his other hand on her hip then slid it along to her back, where he held both her wrists within one of his hands. The move caused her to pull her shoulders back and thrust her breasts closer to his stomach. Even without his cowboy boots on, the man was a tower. Their bodies collided as he stepped closer to her. “You should stay a little longer. It’s late, and Max was looking to see you tonight after work,” he whispered as he kissed her cheek, her chin, and then her lips. She tried to step back.
“Eric, what happened at the cottage? Who did it, and why can’t I go back there?” she asked, and she felt her temper rise but also her emotions get the better of her. She was feeling emotional and kind of scared. Eric softened his expression, obviously reading her body language. He pulled her tighter to him.
“Max doesn’t believe that it was your ex-boss. It could have been random, but he and Wyatt can’t be certain. It makes more sense that you stay here where we can protect you.”
“But what about Aunt Marie and Ron? Who’s going to protect them?”
He smiled at her then squeezed her as if her statement were out of the ordinary.
“That’s real sweet of ya to worry ’bout them. But they have guns and know how to use them, plus they have Jacob, Stevie, and Earl on the farm. You need to be here with us.”
She released an annoyed sigh as she locked gazes with him. He was so darn sexy with his tight navy-blue T-shirt and snug-fitting dark-blue jeans. His rodeo belt buckle pressed against her belly.
“Well, if I can’t go home tonight, then just know that I expect to go home tomorrow. I’ve got more painting to do and then a few more days before the Fourth of July to prepare my pies and the chili. After that the camp starts, and I am supposed to help Marie, remember?” she asked, sounding frustrated.
“Yeah, I remember. But I also know that she only needs you for the one day.”
“I know that, Eric, but I was kind of looking forward to helping out a bit. I never went to camp, and in the city, it’s nothing like outdoors. I don’t even know how to ride a horse,” she exclaimed, sounding as if she were pouting.
“But you know how ta ride a cowboy,” he stated as he gave her ass a squeeze, and she shook her head. She instantly felt her body warm and her cheeks heat up.
“I would still like to learn how to ride a horse,” she countered as he squeezed her tighter and smiled. Her heart swelled up with love for the man. He was irresistible.
“Have you been on any other horses than Lightning?” he asked.
“No. Even the last few weeks staying here and at the cottage, I only saw some horses from a distance, aside from Lucy and riding Lightning with you. Before Lightning, the closest I’ve been to one was that day I arrived and I saw you,” she told him then felt her cheeks warm as he raised his eyebrows and smiled.
He released her hands and held her tight around the waist so she could hold on to him as well. She laid her hands on his forearms, and he smiled at her.
“Ya remember the day you first saw me?” he teased, and she shyly let her face fall against his chest. He bent his elbows and tried to get her to look up at him.
“Come on now, woman, don’t leave me hanging.”
“You know I saw you, Eric, and you know you looked so damn good and sexy. I was blown away. Especially I was taken aback by the fact that you appeared out of nowhere. It was like a dream kind of. I mean, there you were on a beautiful, huge black stallion. The sun caused a silhouette around you, and then there were just fields of high grasses and other stuff behind you. It was kind of creepy,” she added as she saw how his eyes lit up and heard how corny she sounded. She shyly looked down.
“Creepy? You thoug
ht I was creepy?” he asked, sounding insulted as he gave her body a shake.
“Oh no, of course not,” she replied quickly then hugged him tighter as she stood up on tiptoes to kiss his chin. He lowered his mouth and held her gaze.
“I remember when I first lay my eyes on you. You were sitting in Ron’s truck looking so damn beautiful like a movie star. I had no idea who you were or if you’d even noticed me.”
“Notice you? Honey, I noticed you all right. I noticed everything about you, and Max the first time I met him.” Then she remembered the conversation at Francine’s and then Max and Eric saving her from trouble with Gutry.
“Hey, does Max think that the guy Gutry has something to do with the robberies?” she asked.
Eric released an annoyed sigh. It was obvious that he didn’t even like bringing up Gutry’s name.
“I know they’ve looked into a few individuals. Gutry hasn’t been seen around town in over a week. We thought that maybe he headed out of town because no one will hire him. Not after he worked for us and we got rid of him.”
“Oh no, he actually worked here on the ranch?”
“Yep. He was slacking and caused nothing but trouble. As a matter of fact, that day I met you, I was out mending fences that he was supposed to have done. I was real pissed until I lay eyes on you.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. His kiss grew deeper, and she knew that the conversation was over. Eric had other plans as he continued to kiss her while he discarded her clothes. In a flash, they were breathing heavy, and then he was taking her hand and bringing her toward the bed.