thing never bothered you before. But if you insist..."
The rustling of denim against skin teased her imagination and whetted an appetite she hadn't known in a long time. She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the image of his cock saluting her.
"You can turn around now."
Drawing in a deep, calming breath, she did. He'd fastened the button-fly of his jeans, much to her relief. But the exposed V of his pelvis was too distracting for her peace of mind. She focused above the waistline and on his face. Hazel eyes were emphasized by small lines around the edges. A strong jaw was softened by full lips. Gone was the boy she'd fallen in love with. In his place was a man who could very well destroy her if she let him get too close.
"Hello, Dustin.” Shannon forced a smile and resisted rubbing her damp palms against her thighs. “Dillon asked me to let you know you are needed at the lodge."
His eyes smoldered, and the corner of his mouth kicked up. “So you said."
She gave a tight nod. “Right. Well.” She lifted a shoulder in an awkward gesture. “I had better get to the cabin. Have to get ready for tonight.” She swiveled toward the door. “Nice to see you, Dusty."
"Welcome home, Shay."
Welcome home, indeed.
Had coming back to this place been a mistake? She was tempted to tell Carolyn she could have Gran's farm because she wanted more than anything to escape back to New York City where she could lose herself in the hustle and bustle of the big city. And even though it might be the coward's way out, she wanted to escape the history and heartbreak of Dumen Ranch.
Dustin chuckled as Shannon ran out the door, her long brown hair swinging wildly with each step. A man could drown in those big green eyes of hers. He'd waited fourteen years for her to come home. At eighteen he'd been too young to understand why she left, why she refused to believe he could take care of her. It sucked that she'd been right. What had he known of the responsibility of being a husband at that age?
So, he'd done what any self-respecting man would do and pretended to forget about the love of his life.
Somewhere inside, he knew Shannon would come home. Even Gran had told him to give her time to find herself. Not that he knew what that meant at eighteen. Being Gran's companion kept Shannon close—mentally anyway. Now that she was home, could he convince her Texas was where she belonged? He was going to try his damndest.
This weekend, while she was captive on the ranch, courtesy of her cousin's bachelorette party, he was going to take every opportunity to get close to her, to remind her of what they once had. If it took physical seduction... His cock jumped at the idea and the memory of her soft cheek pressed against his short and curlies. Poor Shannon wouldn't stand a chance against his Texas charm.
His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Roused from his Shannon-fog, he yanked it out. “Yeah?"
"You planning on doing any work today? Or am I supposed to pick up your slack?” Dane, his youngest brother, bitched in his ear.
"Let me guess, Dillon's ridin’ your ass again?"
Dane snorted. “Good guess. So?"
Dustin sighed. His oldest brother could be a bit of a hardass when it came to getting work done on the ranch. Though with this bachelorette shindig this weekend, he couldn't blame Dillon.
But his plans for Shannon would have to be put on hold for a few hours longer. “Tell him I'll be there in five."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Two
The dinner triangle rang promptly at five. Shannon had yet to see her cousin, though she imagined Bridgette was wandering around somewhere. Had her other cousin, Sara, arrived at the ranch?
As Shannon opened the heavy wooden door of her assigned cabin, Bridgette's high-pitched laughter reached her ears. Shannon stepped outside and headed toward the sound.
The scent of burning wood wafting from the picnic area tickled her senses. Bridgette had demanded the staff have a fire burning every night, and
The rustling of denim against skin teased her imagination and whetted an appetite she hadn't known in a long time. She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the image of his cock saluting her.
"You can turn around now."
Drawing in a deep, calming breath, she did. He'd fastened the button-fly of his jeans, much to her relief. But the exposed V of his pelvis was too distracting for her peace of mind. She focused above the waistline and on his face. Hazel eyes were emphasized by small lines around the edges. A strong jaw was softened by full lips. Gone was the boy she'd fallen in love with. In his place was a man who could very well destroy her if she let him get too close.
"Hello, Dustin.” Shannon forced a smile and resisted rubbing her damp palms against her thighs. “Dillon asked me to let you know you are needed at the lodge."
His eyes smoldered, and the corner of his mouth kicked up. “So you said."
She gave a tight nod. “Right. Well.” She lifted a shoulder in an awkward gesture. “I had better get to the cabin. Have to get ready for tonight.” She swiveled toward the door. “Nice to see you, Dusty."
"Welcome home, Shay."
Welcome home, indeed.
Had coming back to this place been a mistake? She was tempted to tell Carolyn she could have Gran's farm because she wanted more than anything to escape back to New York City where she could lose herself in the hustle and bustle of the big city. And even though it might be the coward's way out, she wanted to escape the history and heartbreak of Dumen Ranch.
Dustin chuckled as Shannon ran out the door, her long brown hair swinging wildly with each step. A man could drown in those big green eyes of hers. He'd waited fourteen years for her to come home. At eighteen he'd been too young to understand why she left, why she refused to believe he could take care of her. It sucked that she'd been right. What had he known of the responsibility of being a husband at that age?
So, he'd done what any self-respecting man would do and pretended to forget about the love of his life.
Somewhere inside, he knew Shannon would come home. Even Gran had told him to give her time to find herself. Not that he knew what that meant at eighteen. Being Gran's companion kept Shannon close—mentally anyway. Now that she was home, could he convince her Texas was where she belonged? He was going to try his damndest.
This weekend, while she was captive on the ranch, courtesy of her cousin's bachelorette party, he was going to take every opportunity to get close to her, to remind her of what they once had. If it took physical seduction... His cock jumped at the idea and the memory of her soft cheek pressed against his short and curlies. Poor Shannon wouldn't stand a chance against his Texas charm.
His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Roused from his Shannon-fog, he yanked it out. “Yeah?"
"You planning on doing any work today? Or am I supposed to pick up your slack?” Dane, his youngest brother, bitched in his ear.
"Let me guess, Dillon's ridin’ your ass again?"
Dane snorted. “Good guess. So?"
Dustin sighed. His oldest brother could be a bit of a hardass when it came to getting work done on the ranch. Though with this bachelorette shindig this weekend, he couldn't blame Dillon.
But his plans for Shannon would have to be put on hold for a few hours longer. “Tell him I'll be there in five."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Two
The dinner triangle rang promptly at five. Shannon had yet to see her cousin, though she imagined Bridgette was wandering around somewhere. Had her other cousin, Sara, arrived at the ranch?
As Shannon opened the heavy wooden door of her assigned cabin, Bridgette's high-pitched laughter reached her ears. Shannon stepped outside and headed toward the sound.
The scent of burning wood wafting from the picnic area tickled her senses. Bridgette had demanded the staff have a fire burning every night, and
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