I’m paying you well for your services. Just don’t tell me I have to pay extra.”
“Consider this a freebie.” A slow, sexy smile curved his lips and made her insides shiver with anticipation that did not help her to remain indifferent.
He’d been tossing out the flirty remarks and heated looks all day. She needed to show him she wasn’t a naïve woman living her life on a quiet ranch who’d fall for any one of his innuendos. She’d grown up surrounded by testosterone and the many remarks that came with it.
She sent him a playful smile. “Ha. I might not have to pay in money, but you’re a smart businessman. I bet you’ll figure out a way to make me pay in some other form.”
He lifted a brow in interest. “Is that an offer?”
“Oh, no. Absolutely not. If you want something more than what I’m already giving you, you’re going to have to figure that out on your own.” She knew she played with fire, but she didn’t care. It felt good, life affirming even to tease him and enjoy the moment, despite her muscle aches.
“Okay.” He nodded and grinned, the action lighting up his eyes. “Challenge accepted.”
She snorted and shook her head to dispel the sexual energy blazing through the room. “Where do you want me? To sit?” she quickly added.
“The ottoman. For now.”
She acknowledged his checkmate with a smile.
Caleb made short work of moving the ottoman in front of the fire while she admired his biceps as he did.
She sat facing the flickering flames, hyperaware of him moving behind her.
“Do you want to fix your hair so it’s all off your back?” The timbre of his voice left goosebumps on her skin.
“Sure.” She’d piled the strands on top of her head when she’d bathed, but several pieces had come loose. She took a moment to secure her hair into a bun on top of her head while he moved in front of her, his back and hands toward the fire.
When he met her gaze, she glanced between the fire and his face, questioning his actions.
“No one likes cold fingers.”
She didn’t argue.
With a wink, he stepped behind her, out of sight. A second later, the sound of lotion squirting from a bottle competed with the crackling fire. When he placed his warm, lotion-coated hands on her back, she shivered.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she lost herself in the feel of his large, powerful hands caressing her. Slowly, he spread the lotion over her skin. He wasn’t pressing hard enough to massage her muscles, but his heated, steady touch soothed and, unfortunately, excited her.
Then his hands were on her shoulders, and the next thing she knew, he’d pushed her straps down her arms. She jerked her eyes open in response, but he continued to rub as though he hadn’t taken personal liberties with her. She glanced downward to make sure her shirt still covered the important parts.
Then he drew a firm thumb down her neck and over the top of her shoulder, and she forgot all about the condition of her tank top.
“Damn.” The pressure he applied burned so good.
“You’re a disaster.” His fingers roamed over her back finding and exploiting her most painful areas.
“That’s what you said earlier.” She tried to focus on her breathing instead of the pain.
“I was right earlier, except I didn’t realize how much of a mess. I’ve said it before, but you need to take care of yourself. The running of this ranch rests entirely in your hands. You need to stay strong.”
He pressed harder on a particularly nasty knot, and she gasped as she dug her nails into the leather seat.
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Sorry.” He changed his tactic to wide sweeping motions that soothed the pain. He rubbed her gently for several minutes, heating and smoothing her skin. The calming sensation teased her into a lull. She dropped her head forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
The most delicious tingles erupted throughout her.
She knew this would happen, knew he couldn’t touch her in
“Consider this a freebie.” A slow, sexy smile curved his lips and made her insides shiver with anticipation that did not help her to remain indifferent.
He’d been tossing out the flirty remarks and heated looks all day. She needed to show him she wasn’t a naïve woman living her life on a quiet ranch who’d fall for any one of his innuendos. She’d grown up surrounded by testosterone and the many remarks that came with it.
She sent him a playful smile. “Ha. I might not have to pay in money, but you’re a smart businessman. I bet you’ll figure out a way to make me pay in some other form.”
He lifted a brow in interest. “Is that an offer?”
“Oh, no. Absolutely not. If you want something more than what I’m already giving you, you’re going to have to figure that out on your own.” She knew she played with fire, but she didn’t care. It felt good, life affirming even to tease him and enjoy the moment, despite her muscle aches.
“Okay.” He nodded and grinned, the action lighting up his eyes. “Challenge accepted.”
She snorted and shook her head to dispel the sexual energy blazing through the room. “Where do you want me? To sit?” she quickly added.
“The ottoman. For now.”
She acknowledged his checkmate with a smile.
Caleb made short work of moving the ottoman in front of the fire while she admired his biceps as he did.
She sat facing the flickering flames, hyperaware of him moving behind her.
“Do you want to fix your hair so it’s all off your back?” The timbre of his voice left goosebumps on her skin.
“Sure.” She’d piled the strands on top of her head when she’d bathed, but several pieces had come loose. She took a moment to secure her hair into a bun on top of her head while he moved in front of her, his back and hands toward the fire.
When he met her gaze, she glanced between the fire and his face, questioning his actions.
“No one likes cold fingers.”
She didn’t argue.
With a wink, he stepped behind her, out of sight. A second later, the sound of lotion squirting from a bottle competed with the crackling fire. When he placed his warm, lotion-coated hands on her back, she shivered.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she lost herself in the feel of his large, powerful hands caressing her. Slowly, he spread the lotion over her skin. He wasn’t pressing hard enough to massage her muscles, but his heated, steady touch soothed and, unfortunately, excited her.
Then his hands were on her shoulders, and the next thing she knew, he’d pushed her straps down her arms. She jerked her eyes open in response, but he continued to rub as though he hadn’t taken personal liberties with her. She glanced downward to make sure her shirt still covered the important parts.
Then he drew a firm thumb down her neck and over the top of her shoulder, and she forgot all about the condition of her tank top.
“Damn.” The pressure he applied burned so good.
“You’re a disaster.” His fingers roamed over her back finding and exploiting her most painful areas.
“That’s what you said earlier.” She tried to focus on her breathing instead of the pain.
“I was right earlier, except I didn’t realize how much of a mess. I’ve said it before, but you need to take care of yourself. The running of this ranch rests entirely in your hands. You need to stay strong.”
He pressed harder on a particularly nasty knot, and she gasped as she dug her nails into the leather seat.
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Sorry.” He changed his tactic to wide sweeping motions that soothed the pain. He rubbed her gently for several minutes, heating and smoothing her skin. The calming sensation teased her into a lull. She dropped her head forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
The most delicious tingles erupted throughout her.
She knew this would happen, knew he couldn’t touch her in
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