Texas Roses (The Devil's Horn Ranch Series) Read online

  “Yes.”

  He takes my drink from me and places our glasses on the table. “Then let’s go tear it up.”

  On our way to the dance floor, the song changes and a slow song plays. Quinn places my hands around his neck and puts his on my waist. My fingers graze his corded muscles. “How does a helicopter pilot stay so fit?”

  “I only fly part-time, and just for DHR. The rest of the time, I cowboy like everyone else on this ranch.”

  “What exactly does that mean, you cowboy?”

  “I do what needs to be done. If a fence needs mending, I fix it. If a stall needs mucking, I shovel it. If horses need corralling, I saddle up and head out.”

  “So you’re a pilot who also helps around the ranch?”

  “More like I’m a ranch hand who also flies.”

  I study his face.

  “What is it?” he asks.

  “I can see the charm. You’re not overly arrogant. You seem truthful, modest even, about what you do.”

  “Sounds like you’ve been talking to too many of those servers.”

  “Just the one. She said the night she spent with you was incredible.”

  His smile lights up the arena. “Incredible? She used that exact word?”

  “See, now you’re getting cocky.”

  “Sorry.”

  I run a finger along his strong jaw. “Don’t be. I like a little cocky.”

  “I promise you, my cocky is far from little.”

  I belt out a throaty laugh. “And there it is.”

  He lifts a brow. “Where are you staying?”

  “The lodge. Why?”

  “Why do you think?”

  I grin. “I think we’re on the same page here.”

  “But the lodge is no good. Maddox’s and Aaron’s families are staying there. It wouldn’t be in good form for them to be hearing you shouting my name.”

  His thumb traces circles on the bare skin of my lower back and I shiver, looking up at him with lidded eyes. “What makes you think they wouldn’t be hearing you shouting mine?”

  Laughter floats between us. “Oh, I think I’m going to like this,” he says.

  I lean close. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. You’re going to more than like it. But I leave tomorrow, cowboy, so this is a one-time thing.”

  “Exactly how I like it.” He pulls me close. Through my thin dress and his slacks, I can feel his erection. “We’ll use Aaron’s cabin. They’re staying at a hotel in Fort Worth tonight.”

  “No honeymoon?”

  “They’re waiting until Casey is older. They don’t want to leave him for more than a night.”

  “You’re not watching the baby, are you?”

  He shakes in silent laughter. “Me? Hell no. Maddox and Andie are doing it.”

  “Good. So we’ll be alone in the cabin?”

  “Just you and me.”

  I shimmy against him, bite my lip, and give him my best fuck-me eyes. “Perfect. See you later, cowboy.” I turn and meander away.

  “You’re leaving me? Like this?”

  I glance at him over my shoulder. He’s peering down at his tented pants. I giggle and keep walking.

  After finding a bathroom, I go to the bar for another drink. Something stronger this time. “Bourbon, neat,” I tell the bartender. Then I turn and watch the crowd on the dance floor. Quinn is nowhere in sight. Perhaps he went to splash water on his face. I smile, knowing what’s in store.

  Piper comes up to me as my drink gets handed over my shoulder. She peers at it. “You shouldn’t ever let a drink out of your sight.”

  “Right. Sorry.” I take the drink anyway and swallow a gulp.

  “Having fun?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I was hoping you would. I wish you could stay longer.”

  “How long are you staying?”

  “A few more days. Being on a ranch is far different from the city. It’s calm here, you know?”

  Piper’s daughter, Charlie, comes over and stands next to her, looking bored. “How long do we have to stay?”

  “Until the bride and groom leave, sweetie. Maybe another hour or so.”

  Charlie rolls her ten-year-old eyes and trudges off.

  “The two of you look so much alike,” Piper says.

  I’ll never forget the day I met Piper. I walked into the room, not knowing what to expect. I was barely an adult myself, and I was meeting the woman who put me up for adoption. I knew the story. I wasn’t mad at her for doing it. In a way, I admired her. But when I saw she had a little boy and was quite pregnant with Charlie, it was hard not to feel jealous of them. I never let it show; I held it inside. Sometimes I wonder if that’s the wall between us, because something sure as hell is.

  Piper’s husband, Mason, joins us. “You see Hailey dancing with all those ranch workers?”

  “She’d better watch herself,” I say. “Cowboys can be dangerous.” I fix my gaze over Piper’s shoulder and see Quinn, hoping what I said is true in the most pleasurable of ways.

  “Not these guys,” Piper says. “Believe me, Maddox and Owen run a tight ship around here. I’m fairly sure all of them have been warned not to go out of bounds.”

  Hailey is Mason’s daughter and Piper’s stepdaughter, but she calls her Mom. So many people here are related one way or another. You’d think I’d fit in with someone.

  I glance at Quinn again. He’s dancing with Aaron’s sister, Gracie.

  “Come on, sweetheart,” Mason says to his wife. “Let’s dance.”

  “We’ll talk more later?” Piper asks.

  “Sure.”

  For an hour, I sip drinks and sit back and observe the big happy family as they drink, dance, and laugh together. Every once in a while, one of them will come over and try to include me. Sometimes I let them. Sometimes I slip away to use the ladies’ room and stare into the mirror, wondering just who the hell I am.

  My biological grandmother, Jan, catches me sitting on a bench in the bathroom. She plops down next to me. “I’ll bet all of this is overwhelming for you. I get why you don’t come to many brunches. From your point of view, we’re this huge, close-knit family. Sisters, husbands, kids, cousins, in-laws. And you’re right. We are.” She scoots closer and puts an arm around me. “But here’s the thing, we’re also a family that likes to grow. We’re a family that welcomes anyone. We don’t care if you’re blood related, bound by marriage, or born into it. We love you just the same. You’re a part of us. We’d never want to take away what you have or the memories of Ben and Julie. We only want to add to it. We want to make your life full of family. And you coming here leads me to believe you might finally be open to that happening.”

  I shrug. “Or maybe I had a free weekend, and this fit into my schedule.”

  I feel like a bitch as soon as the words come out, but Jan lets them roll off her. She kisses my temple. “I don’t care if you’re twenty-eight or fifty-two. I’m never going to stop including you, and neither will anyone else here. Because one of these days, I believe you might need us as much as we need you.”

  “How could you possibly need me? You have so many other grandchildren.”

  “I have nine, to be exact—including you. And I’d have nineteen if given the chance. Don’t you know, the heart has an incredible capacity to expand? Love isn’t finite. There isn’t only so much to go around. And you, my dear, are unique. You have so much love and light about you. I just think you don’t know how to tap into it.”

  “You and my therapist.”

  She laughs. “And you’re funny too. I love that in a grandchild.” She stands. “Now let me see your beautiful smile. I saw you talking to that handsome cowboy earlier—the best man.”

  I paste a grin on for her. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

  She leaves, and I think about how she didn’t even use the toilet. She must have followed me in specifically to talk. Everyone is being so nice. Maybe they feel sorry for me. They know about my parents. Could be they’re simp
ly taking on a stray.

  When I emerge, Andie runs over and pulls me by the elbow. “Devyn’s going to throw the bouquet. You don’t want to miss this.”

  I follow her but then realize she wants me to participate. “Oh, no.”

  “Come on. You’re one of the few single women here.”

  “And I’d like it to stay that way.”

  “It’s all in good fun. Go on, get out there.”

  Reluctantly, I go out to where the other half dozen women are gathering. I stand in the back. Devyn spins around, the crowd counts, and she jettisons the bouquet behind her—right over Hailey’s head and into my hands. “Here.” I immediately hand it to Shannon, one of Devyn’s bridesmaids.

  She gladly takes it and holds it up to the cheers of the crowd. “From their lips to God’s ears,” she says. “I need a man like a cowboy needs a horse.”

  I walk to the bar and order another drink. Quinn comes up next to me, shaking his head in amusement. “Couldn’t get rid of it fast enough, could you?”

  “These things are toxic.”

  “Bouquets?”

  “Weddings.” I down my bourbon in one gulp and put the glass back on the bar for a refill.

  He nods to the entrance. “Want to get out of here?”

  “Shouldn’t we stay until Aaron and Devyn leave?”

  “Believe me, they’ll never know we left.”

  I look around at their large family and know what he says is true. “Can we take a bottle with us?”

  Quinn lunges behind the bar and swipes a full bottle of my favorite bourbon. He’s been paying attention. “Go out that door there. I’ll follow in two minutes.”

  I raise a brow. “Don’t want anyone to know?”

  “That I’m going home with a Mitchell grandchild? Hell right, I don’t. I might be lynched before I reach the door.”

  “I’m not a Mitchell. I’m a Black. My name is Amber Black.”

  “Right. Well, Amber Black, we doing this or what?”

  I grab the bottle from him and make my way to the exit.

  Chapter Three

  Quinn

  She’s leaning against the barn, bottle of bourbon in one hand, high heels in the other. My dick swells at the sight of her.

  “How will we get back to the lodge?” she asks. “Neither of us should be driving.”

  I hit the side of the barn with my palm. “Wait here.” I go inside, get on an ATV, and drive out next to her. “Hop on. You can put those things in the box on the back.”

  Now, ordinarily, a woman who’s dressed to the nines like she is, with her hair all done pretty, would balk at such an idea. The ATV isn’t exactly a limo. In fact, it’s dusty and splattered with mud. Amber doesn’t give it a second thought and climbs on behind me.

  Her arms come around me, and when I take off, she squeezes my chest. She has to hold on; I’m driving faster than I normally would at this time of night. I’m in a hurry for obvious reasons, but then she starts exploring, feeling my pecs and abs as if she’s mapping them out. She unbuttons my shirt, lifts my undershirt, and does the same thing against my bare skin. By the time we’re halfway to the lodge, I’m rock-hard and throbbing against the fly of my pants.

  She doesn’t fail to notice my predicament when her hands travel lower. She grips me through my slacks, and I draw in a quick breath. When she unclasps my belt and sticks her hand down my pants, I almost flip us over. Her throaty laughter in my ear drives me even more wild.

  It’s hard enough to stay the course in the dark, even without her hand on my cock. But with the help of the moon and my hundreds of trips along this path, I’m practically on autopilot. If I go too fast, I’ll plow us into a tree or a fence; too slow and I’ll come right here on this four-wheeler.

  She rolls down the front of my pants, giving her more room to move. She’s pinching my goddamn nipple with one hand and pumping me to high heaven with the other. I haven’t even seen her naked yet, and already this is shaping up to be the best fuck I’ve ever had.

  The porch light on the cabin glows in the distance. Beyond it, windows from the lodge are illuminated from lights inside. We’re close. I’m close. She pumps harder. I have to remind myself to keep my eyes open or I’ll kill us. I speed up, and she doesn’t say a word. She’s not scared, just completely driven by the task at hand.

  My balls tighten as I approach our destination. I park and turn off the engine. She whispers in my ear. “Your cock feels amazing.”

  Fuuuuuck. Two more pumps and I’m jizzing all over the handlebars of the ATV.

  I turn. “Well, that’s the best ride I ever had.”

  Her eyebrows arch. “You’ll be saying those words again in about thirty minutes.”

  “Who are you?”

  She laughs, hops off, and retrieves the bourbon and her shoes. She holds up the bottle. “Come on. Best not waste this.”

  I do up my pants, leaving the mess for later, and follow her into the cabin. She drops her shoes by the front door and goes to the kitchen counter, hoisting herself up on it before cracking the bottle. She takes a swig and looks around. “Nice cabin.”

  “Aaron built it himself. I helped.”

  “Pilot. Cowboy. Home construction. Is there anything you can’t do?”

  “Taxes,” I say. “I can’t do my fucking taxes.”

  She hikes up her dress and puts a leg on the counter. I can see her barely there panties. They’re red. And they’re soaked. I may have just blown my load a minute ago, but I swear I’m chubbing up again.

  “Want some?” she asks.

  I have no idea if she’s referring to the bottle or her. Either way, my answer is the same. “Hell yes.” I stride over, grab the bottle, and take a swig. Then I kiss her. Bourbon and Amber Black—I think I found my new favorite flavor.

  Her kiss is as demanding as mine. Desperate almost. I haven’t wanted anyone this much in a long time, maybe ever. Based on her reaction, I’d say she feels the same.

  She pushes me back. “Take off your clothes.”

  “Gladly.” I make quick work of my shirt that’s still unbuttoned and my undershirt, then kick off my shoes and strip off my pants and skivvies.

  She appraises me from head to toe, eyes halting at my junk when it twitches in anticipation. When I step between her legs, she carefully touches my bruised ribs. “Does it hurt?”

  “Believe me, nothing hurts right now.”

  She bites her lower lip. “Good. Now take off mine.”

  I know it’s May, but to me, it feels like Christmas. She leans back and lifts her butt, an invitation to push up her dress. I work it up and over her head, leaving her wearing only the scrap of panties and a matching strapless bra. She’s a sight. “You’re gorgeous,” I say. Though I may have thought it when I’ve been with other women, I’ve never said it.

  “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  I take in her body. Her breasts are amazing—not too big, not too small. Her skin is smooth. Her stomach is flat, and hips, curvy. Even her toes are inviting, and I’ve never been a toe man. Everything about her is perfect.

  “See something you like?” She takes a drink of bourbon, purposely dribbling some down her chin and onto her chest. I follow the liquid with my eyes, knowing I’m about to devour her.

  My tongue moves along the path of the bourbon, licking every inch of skin it flavored. I reach around and remove her bra. Her breasts, untouched by the sun, fall into amazing teardrops. I take the bottle and dribble more across her chest. She arches her back as I take her nipple into my mouth and work it with my tongue. I go lower, my lips blazing a trail to her panties.

  She stiffens and pushes the bottle away. “Don’t put any on my pussy. It burns.”

  I chuckle. “You say this from experience?”

  “Some lessons you only need to learn once.”

  “Is there something else we could put on it?”

  “How about your tongue?”

  I pull away and look up. “Say it again and use the word.” />
  “I made you come, now put your tongue on my pussy and return the favor.”

  I have a hard time keeping my jaw from hitting the floor. “That was goddamn sexy.”

  She stares at me, eyes wide, as if asking how long she has to wait. I swear this girl is throwing me off my game. I’m always the one in control.

  “Would you please rip off my panties and make me see Jesus?”

  I pull her hips toward me. “Maybe if you shut your filthy mouth for two seconds, I will.”

  She smirks and puts a hand underneath her panties. “I’ll do it myself if I have to. I’m really good at it.”

  I’m not usually at a loss for words, but in this very second, I’m at a loss for all rational thought. She makes it even worse by pushing her panties aside and letting me watch. She slips a finger in then pulls it out and circles her clit. Her pussy is pink and glistening. Every cell in my body wants to touch her, but at the same time, watching her finger herself is better than any porn I’ve seen.

  “Now you,” she says, touching her wet finger to my lips. “My g-spot is up and to your left. Work my clit hard. If I don’t get off that way, it’s okay to finger my ass. But I’m kind of worked up, so I’ll probably come pretty quickly.”

  My head is reeling. Suddenly, I have stage fright. I’m not an inexperienced guy, but I’ve never been with a woman like Amber.

  “Something wrong, cowboy?” she says, threatening to put her finger back where it was.

  I snap myself out of it, brush her hand aside, drape one of her legs over my shoulder, rip off her panties—literally—then put my mouth on her. I retract my previous statement. This is my new favorite flavor. She moans as I work my tongue in and out, then I follow her instructions precisely. She was right. It doesn’t take long before she’s shouting at the ceiling. And I’m damn glad we’re here, isolated in the cabin, because she’s not in the least bit quiet.

  When it’s over, she props up on her elbows. “Let’s go for another one. The faster I can get there, the more intense it will be. You have a condom, right?”

  I reach down and get one out of my wallet. “Never leave home without one.”