Kissed by a Rancher Read online

  He was aroused, wanting her, wishing he could unfasten her dress and toss it aside, take her to bed and make love to her.

  Instead, at the first hint she was moving away, he released her. “Welcome to New York,” he whispered.

  “It’s fabulous,” she answered breathlessly.

  “Want to sit?”

  She moved to the chair by the table, and he sat beside her. “Josh, this hotel is so luxurious.”

  “I like it. This chain has done well, even though it’s small next to two others I have. This is the deluxe line.”

  “This is like a dream.”

  “I’m glad. Part of this is a big thank you for taking me in out of that blizzard.”

  “It worked out, and you were so much help, I’m glad I did.”

  “Do you plan to always run the inn?”

  “Probably so. Justin and Arden won’t come back to run the place with me after they finish college, which is all right because I’m happy there. Justin is majoring in accounting and Arden is planning on law school. I expect them both to leave Beckett. They’re on scholarships, and I help them with money from the inn, which is more profitable than Mom’s hair shop.”

  “I think you told me that you didn’t go to college.”

  “Right. I’ve always helped at the inn, and after high school I stepped in full-time, which I was happy to do. I’ve always planned to do that when I grew up. Pretty simple in your view, I’m sure. Your major was what?”

  “Double major in accounting and agriculture. MBA in accounting. I played football and then pro ball until a shoulder injury sidelined me and I decided to move on. I invested my money in a small chain of hotels that I’ve been able to grow into a bigger chain, and I started the others. I’ve been fortunate to have inherited money, too.”

  “A very busy man.”

  “I’ve told you someday I’ll be a rancher. I’d like you to see the ranch.”

  “I’d love that probably as much as this.”

  He smiled. “Right now, I thrive on business. I like my travels and making deals, the challenges and the satisfaction. But I do miss the ranch,” he said with a wistful note in his voice.

  “Josh, if you really love it, why are you staying in the business world when you can do what you really like best? I know you thrive in the corporate world, but you’ve said you love life on your ranch. You said I’m missing out on life. I still think you are, in a big way.”

  He ran his finger along her cheek. “You might be right,” he said quietly. While they talked, he couldn’t resist touching her. He held her hand, rubbing her knuckles lightly with his thumb. She had the softest skin, even though she worked with her hands constantly.

  “Josh, the sun will come up in not too many hours. I should go to my suite.”

  “Sure,” he said, draping his arm lightly across her shoulders. “I’ll get the bottles—don’t worry about them.”

  He walked her around to her door and waited while she unlocked it. He opened the door, held it for her and followed her inside, then caught her arm and turned her to face him. “I want a good-night kiss,” he said, wanting even more to pick her up and carry her to bed. He wanted her. She was excited about their itinerary for tomorrow, but as far as he was concerned, they could chuck it and just make love all day.

  Even more, he wanted her to be happy, so if it was seeing the sights that he had been to too many times to count since he was a kid, he would do that with her. She seemed dazzled by the city, while he was dazzled by her.

  He poured his longing and passion into his kiss, which became kisses as he caressed her and ached to make love to her.

  Finally she stopped him. “Josh, it really is late. You need to go.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I know,” he said in a gravelly voice. He ran his finger down her cheek. “Sometime I’m going to make love to you for hours,” he whispered, determined that would happen before too long.

  Wide-eyed and solemn, she gazed up at him. “It might happen, Josh. We both want that, even though that isn’t the wisest course to follow. Once again, I had a wonderful time.”

  He barely heard her last words, because his heart pounded over her admission that she wanted the same lovemaking he did.

  “I’m glad you had a good time. See you bright and early. We can do breakfast or bed,” he said, teasing her.

  She looked briefly startled and then laughed. “I believe I’ll choose breakfast. You remember that.”

  “How could I forget?” He brushed her lips lightly with another kiss and left.

  * * *

  After saying good-night to Josh, Abby drifted through the suite and opened her balcony door to peep outside, seeing Josh wasn’t out. She sat on the balcony, loving every minute of her stay at his hotel. He hadn’t wanted to stop making love tonight and neither had she, but she didn’t want to go home with big regrets. She wanted to be sure of what she did.

  Finally, when she was about to fall asleep, she went inside, closing up and getting ready for bed. She left a wake-up call and fell asleep almost as soon as she stretched out in bed.

  * * *

  Josh had the entire day planned, and an early stop was the Empire State Building. She stood looking at the view. “It’s a gorgeous morning, I’m at the Empire State Building and we have to take a selfie to send home.”

  “First let me take some pictures of you to send home. They’ll want to see you,” he said, snapping pictures with her phone. Impulsively, he pulled out his own phone and took her picture as she laughed.

  She took a selfie of the two of them and looked at it. She had on black slacks and a black cotton shirt with a matching sweater on over it. Josh was dressed in his brown sweater, brown slacks and boots. Josh reached out to get her phone. “I’ll take the next selfie of us,” he said, wrapping his arms around her, snapping a picture while they kissed.

  “I’m not sending that one home.”

  “You don’t want to be seen kissing me?”

  She smiled. “I’ll answer that later today.”

  He grinned and took her arm. “On to the next tour stop.”

  They went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, saw Grand Central Terminal and walked up Fifth Avenue into Central Park. “Josh, this park is marvelous. I’ve seen it in movies, but real life is better.”

  As the day wore on, she took pictures of bridges she had also seen in movies while Josh patiently waited and then took her to the next thing to see.

  It was late in the afternoon when they went to the Statue of Liberty. In the midst of the crowd, she took out her phone, wrapped her arm around his neck to kiss him and took a picture of them. The moment she kissed him, his arms circled her waist and he held her tightly, kissing her in return, making far more of the kiss than she had ever intended. When he released her, she had a moment when she was still lost in his kiss, forgetting everything around them.

  “I told you I would give you an answer later. No, I don’t mind being seen kissing you,” she said, but he had turned the kiss into a fiery moment that ignited passion.

  He smiled. “It’s a good thing, because it’ll probably happen again while we’re out. Your enthusiasm and exuberance about everything makes you irresistible. Plus there are a few other reasons you’re irresistible.”

  “No one has ever told me that before. We won’t go into the other reasons. At least not out in public. You’re a bit irresistible yourself. Maybe someday I’ll tell you why.”

  “That’s something I’d like to hear. C’mon, time to get the ferry back.”

  They returned to the hotel to change for dinner. She showered and dried her hair, trying to get her unruly curls under control, momentarily envious of Josh’s short brown hair.

  She slipped into the other dress she had bought. It was wine-colored with long sleeves, clinging, longer than the
black dress, with a slit on one side of the skirt. The cowl neck was low-cut. She wore the black high-heeled sandals with it.

  She pinned her hair back slightly on either side of her head, working to brush out the curls and leave it in soft waves falling freely a few inches over her shoulders as her stylist at the salon had done yesterday.

  Picking up her phone, she looked at pictures from their day. She had had the most wonderful time possible with Josh, but that didn’t change one bit of the huge differences in their lives, lifestyles, ambitions and future plans. He would never fall in love with her, and she had to keep that in mind, because she was already in love with him. She hated to view her feelings too closely this weekend when she was with him. She was having the time of her life, an unforgettable time, she was sure. Would heartbreak go with it?

  She still hadn’t made a decision whether they would make love or not. All her decisions about no sex before marriage had been made long ago without Josh in the equation, and she didn’t want him to change them now.

  She heard a knock and went to the door, opening it to face him. He made her heart thud. He was in a navy suit with a matching navy tie. Gold cuff links in his dress shirt French cuffs added a touch of elegance to his appearance.

  “I have to say wow,” he told her. “You look stunning.”

  “Thank you, thank you,” she said, smiling at him. “And so do you.”

  “That’s good to hear. Ready?”

  “Oh, yes. You know I can’t wait.” She picked up her purse and jacket and closed her suite door.

  He took her arm. “Tonight we’re going to my favorite restaurant. American, steak and potatoes, but they have other choices. How’s that?”

  “As wonderful as French. I’ll love it if you do.”

  “You’re being happy and cooperative.”

  “Always,” she said, laughing, and he smiled at her.

  “We have this elevator all to ourselves,” he said, holding her arm lightly and leaning close to kiss her.

  Her heart missed a beat the minute his mouth touched hers. Even a light, quick elevator kiss set her pulse racing when it was Josh.

  This restaurant, too, was high in a building with a spectacular view that she couldn’t stop looking at as they walked through the carpeted, dimly lit dining room. A piano player provided soft music, and their table offered a view of the glittering city. A candle was on the white linen-covered table, and someone was there to wait on them almost instantly.

  They both ordered steaks and Josh ordered wine. “I did see couples on the dance floor. Care to dance?”

  “I’d love to,” she said, taking his offered hand. She stepped into his arms, dancing with him, knowing she would remember this weekend the rest of her life.

  They spent more time dancing than eating. Of all the men for her to enjoy being with, why was it a mogul whose life was so far removed from her own?

  As she laughed at something he told her, she gazed into his dark eyes and knew she would never have more fun than she had had with him. She didn’t think she could possibly ever have kisses as hot and passionate, either. And she didn’t think she would ever go back to dating Lamont or ever marry him. After seeing New York, she realized there was way too much in life to go back to playing it safe and accepting the most convenient way of living. She had accused Josh of missing out on life, but she saw now that he wasn’t the only one. She could get out and live a fuller life.

  At midnight, as they finished a dance, Josh took her hand to walk back to their table. “Ready to go to the hotel? We’ll talk, kiss and look at the view—or do you want to stay here longer?”

  “Let’s go back to the hotel.”

  “Good. That’s what I’d hoped you would say.”

  At the hotel, when they walked toward the balcony with their drinks, he set their glasses on a table, her heart beating faster as she anticipated his kiss.

  He drew her to him. “Before we go out on the balcony, which is relatively private, but not private enough, come here.”

  Her heart thudded as she walked into his embrace and raised her face for his kiss. Desire filled his dark eyes when he looked at her, and then his gaze shifted to her mouth. He leaned down to kiss her.

  He held her tightly, bending over her so she had to cling to him as she kissed him in return. She moaned softly with pleasure from his kisses that were endless, seemingly more passionate each time. She felt his fingers at her back and then felt the cool air as Josh drew the zipper of her dress slowly down her back, opening her dress to push it off. It fell with a soft whoosh around her ankles, and she stepped out of it and her high heels.

  With trembling fingers, she unfastened his shirt and pushed it away, running her hands over his muscled chest while his kisses drove all thoughts from her mind. She just wanted to keep kissing him. She wanted the clothing barriers away. This whole weekend had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and she wasn’t going to stop now. Josh would never fall in love with her. She would go home, get over this trip, settle back into her regular life and someday marry, living in Beckett for the rest of her life.

  This one night was the exception to all of the life she had planned for so long. She wanted Josh’s kisses, his loving, all of him. She didn’t want to look back with regrets of what she’d missed or had denied herself. She unfastened his belt, then his trousers to push them off, and he stepped out of them. He was aroused, ready to love. She wanted his arms around her and his kisses. He peeled away her lace panties. Her bra was gone swiftly.

  He cupped her breasts in his hands, caressing her as he ran his thumbs so lightly over her. “You’re beautiful, every inch of you,” he said in a voice hoarse with passion. As she touched him, his deep, sexy kisses made her tremble.

  She ran her hands over his chest, up to touch his jaw, feeling slight stubble. Trailing her fingers over the angular planes of his face, she wanted to commit everything to memory that happened this night. His chest was hard with sculpted muscles, his biceps well-defined.

  Could she let go of the restrictions she had always held to? This was the one chance in her life to make love wildly, passionately and in a manner she didn’t expect to again.

  He picked her up to carry her near the bed, switching on a small table lamp and yanking covers back before turning to look at her again. “Abby, you’re gorgeous,” he said in the same gruff voice.

  Standing her on her feet, he embraced and kissed her. His erection pressed against her, hot, hard. She moved her hand down his smooth back over firm buttocks and down to muscled thighs.

  He stepped back to look at her again, filling each hand with a breast and leaning down to kiss her, his tongue sending streaks of pleasure that made her gasp, close her eyes and cling to his shoulders. “Josh,” she whispered, feeling on fire, wanting to spread her legs for him, wanting him to love her for hours.

  He kissed first one breast and then the other, caressing her at the same time. She gasped as sensations rocked her. She wanted to press her hips against him, but he held her away as he fondled and kissed her breasts.

  She was barely aware when Josh picked her up to place her on the bed. Kneeling beside her, he stroked her ankle, moving up her leg, his fingers stroking lightly, his tongue and lips following as he caressed behind her knee. He moved between her legs, his hands stroking her inner thighs, driving her wild with desire.

  He leaned down to kiss her thighs, his tongue following where his hands had been.

  “Josh,” she gasped and sat up to hold him and kiss him, running her tongue over him. His rod was hot, thick and hard. As she stroked him, he wound his fingers in her hair. He groaned and kissed her passionately until they fell back on the bed, and he showered her with kisses while he caressed her.

  “Wait,” he said and stepped off the bed. He returned to move between her legs and put on a condom.

  Bre
athlessly she gazed at him. He was handsome, thrilling, sexy. She wanted him, reaching out to rest her hands on his thighs, feeling the crisp short hairs beneath her palms.

  He lowered himself, his dark eyes watching her as he kissed her. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him.

  He started to enter her, moving slowly, and then he stopped.

  “Abby, are you sure you want this? You’re a virgin,” he said, frowning.

  She locked her legs around him and held him more tightly to pull him to her. “Love me now. I know what I want.” She ran her hands down his back and over his buttocks. “Josh, I want you.”

  He lowered himself again and thrust into her. She felt a sharp pain as he covered her mouth with his to kiss her, and then she moved with him. Pain and pleasure mixed and then urgency made her move wildly beneath him, rocking with him and finally having a burst of release with her climax while he shuddered with his at the same time.

  They gradually slowed, and his breathing became normal when he turned to kiss her lightly.

  “Abby, you’re special,” he whispered.

  Wrapped in euphoria, she drew him to her to kiss him again. Holding her, he rolled on his side, keeping her close with him and their legs entwined.

  She held him tightly, at the moment enveloped in bliss. Josh was hers right now, and tomorrow didn’t exist. For tonight she would take the moments, cherish Josh, making love with him. This was perfection, what she had dreamed of, wanted, fantasized about, this never-to-be-forgotten night and weekend. She suspected no one would ever excite her as much as he did.

  She was in love with him—or had she been in love with him before this weekend ever started? She didn’t want him to know. When he walked away—and she was certain he would—she didn’t want him to feel guilty. She wanted him to think her heart was no more involved than his was.

  She stroked his back, feeling the solid muscles, his narrow waist. She was eager to hold and touch him the rest of the night.

  “I’m glad you came to New York,” he said in his husky voice. “A rare night, a unique woman in my arms.” He kissed her lightly again.