“Well,we can’t. Mom would have a cow. You know she would.”

“Seriously,Joel. Don’t you think the rest of us have fucked a guest before?”

“Youhave?”

“Hellyeah. Remember the set of twins who visited last year in late summer. Blonde,big boobs?”

“Tiffanyand Trena?”

“Yeah,I guess. Hell, I don’t even remember their names, but I had both of them. Atonce.”

“What?Are you fuckin’ kiddin’me?”

“Noand Mom knows. The girls weren’t quiet about it the next day. They werediscussing it in the dining room. Of course, they couldn’t tell any of us apartso I doubt they could even say which one of us fucked them.”

“Iknow it wasn’t me.”

“Iknow who it was, dipwad. I might have been a littledrunk, but I sure remember fuckin’ both of them.”

“I’venever had two at once.”

“It’san experience.” He coughed in the phone. “I assume you enjoyed yourself withMesa.”

“Hellyeah. She was fantastic, but I doubt she’ll even talk to me the rest of thetime she’s here.”

“Idon’t think she’ll hold a grudge.”

“Why?”

“Becauseshe’s hung up on you, dude.”

“I’veonly known her a couple of days.”

“Yeah,but it doesn’t mean shit when a heart gets involved. I’ve seen the way shelooks at you.”

“We’llsee tomorrow, I guess.”

Theirconversation wrapped up a few minutes later when he clicked off the phone. Did I really screw things up so bad withMesa that she won’t talk to me again? I hope not. I really like her a lot andin bed? Holy fuck!

Hegrabbed a beer from the refrigerator before he walked into his room andstripped off his clothes. The sheets felt cool to his heated skin as he slidbeneath them. The light slipped off with a twist of his fingers.

Moonlightstreamed in through the open window as a cool breeze tickled across his skin.The scent of Mesa drifted to him on the air so he rolled over and pulled thepillow her head had been on, to his face. He couldn’t quite place the floweryscent, but he knew it belonged uniquely to her. He’d smelled it on her hairwhen he’d been buried deep inside her pussy. His cock hardened at the merethought of her wrapped around him. He groaned, fisting his cock in his hand.There would be no getting any sleep tonight with his raging hard-on. It hadbeen a long time since he’d been this turned on by a woman…any woman. He pumpedhis fist several times while he imagined Mesa’s hot pussy surrounding him,scalding him with her heat.

Inno time at all, he felt the pull of his balls to his groin and the tinglingsensation signaling the inevitable release. Cum shot out the end of his dick,splashing the white substance across his stomach. He moaned and slumped againstthe pillows. Damn. He swung his legsover the side of the bed as he let his head drop in exhaustion. For severalmoments he sat there inhaling lungsful of air, trying to calm his racing heart.Getting himself off like that after already coming with Mesa, almost hurt, butit was better than trying to sleep hard as a damn rock. He stumbled to thebathroom to wash the cum from his abdomen before hesuccumbed to sleep.

Nowhe might be able to actually sleep, although he feared dreams of her wouldbother him through the night whether he wanted them to or not.

Chapter Eight

Sheneeded to talk to Joel or Nina or Joel’s dad. The noises of the couple arguingagain woke her at two in the morning. The knock sounded on her door shortlyafterward but she feared opening it to find no one on the other side. Thingsseemed too strange and she needed to find out what was going on.

Alight misty rain fell from the gray skies. Itgets cloudy in Texas? Thunder rumbled in the distance. Goose bumps rose onher arms. Thunderstorms bothered her some, but there was electricity in the airtrying to fight for substance like nothing she’d ever felt before.

Thebreakfast bell clanged downstairs signaling the return of the crowd staying atthe ranch for the next meal. She dreaded facing Joel or his family after thenight before. Sure, they’d had sex. At least for her it had been phenomenalsex. Apparently for him, it was just okay. She should have known. A guy likehim didn’t usually have anything to do with women like her. The plain, a littleplump, and the nothing-to-write-home-to-mom-about type girl didn’t get thegorgeous, hunky cowboy. It just didn’t happen except in her novels.

Aftershe slipped on her shoes, she grabbed her small backpack and locked the door.She glanced down the hall to the left and right almost expecting to see someonethere. Nothing.

Thearoma of bacon and eggs drifted to her nose. Her stomach rumbled in protest.She took the stairs begrudgingly as she prepared herself for the inevitable rushshe felt every time she saw Joel.

Theentire family sat at their usual table waiting for the guests to get theirplates. She glanced down the long expanse to notice one empty chair. Joelwasn’t there.

Wherewas he? Surely he didn’t feel guilty about the way they fought last night?

Shegot into the line for her food and chatted with an older woman about theweather.

“Toobad it’s raining today. We wanted to go riding.”

“Youcan still ride even in the wet weather, although it’s not as comfortable.”

“Weare city slickers. We don’t do wet leather or wet jeans,” the woman answeredwith a smile. “We’re living out our fantasies of cowboys with all these hunkymen around, but I think today will just be a sit-around-and-drool day.”

“Anyonespecial you are drooling over?”

“Wellthe triplets are just awesome. Can you imagine having the attention of allthree at once?”

“Idon’t think I could handle all three at once.”

“I’dsure give it a try,” the woman replied, giggling under her breath as sheglanced at the table.

Thedoor burst open with a gust of wind. Mesa gasped as she glanced at the door andthe silhouette of the man outlined. The width of hisshoulders. The breadth of his chest. The ruffle of hair at his neck. The blackStetson shading his face. Even though she couldn’t see his face, sheknew him. She knew his body like she knew her own…by the touch of her hands.

Joel.

Hepulled the door shut behind him, blocking the gust of wind whipping through andblowing rain in from outside. His eyes never left hers as he walked up to herand smiled before moving down to the table where the coffee sat.

“Interesting.”The woman she’d been talking to moved away.

Mesa’sgaze never left Joel.

Oncehe had his coffee, he turned toward her, sipped the dark brew, and gave her asexy wink.

Well, apparently he thinks I’m notpissed at him anymore. She didn’t respond except for afrown as she grabbed her plate.

Insteadof sitting in her normal spot next to him at the family table, she chose atable with a bunch of women. “Mind if I sit with you ladies?”

“Ofcourse not. Please,” a large, older woman replied. “There’s always room for onemore.”

“Areyou ladies here for a few days?”

“Yes.We love the ranch life and wanted to experience it for ourselves. You knowinstead of always reading about it, we wanted to see it.”

“Oh?You ladies read?”

“Ofcourse we do,” a petite blonde answered. “We are a book club.”

“Wonderful!What do you ladies like to read?”

Aredhead to her left giggled. “Romance, of course. Hot cowboys.” She glanced atthe family table with wide eyes. “You know. Like they are.”

“Iknow exactly what you mean.” She took several bites. “Who are your favoriteauthors?”

Theladies glanced at each other and said in unison, “Mesa West.”

“Really?”

Thelady to her right clapped and said, “We heard you were here visiting when youposted on your Facebook status. We would love for you to sign some of our bookswe brought.”

“Ofcourse!”

“Manyof us live in San Antonio and were disappointed you weren’t at the book signingyesterday, so we drove out here to have some one on one time with you if youdon’t mind.”