For Love's Sake Only (9 page)

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wall just to preserve the little dignity he had left. Ty now officially knew what a side of beef felt like.

“Having fun?” Tamara asked, handing him a bottle of beer. Where she had gotten a bottle of Coors at this party was beyond him, but Ty was really thankful that she had.

“Of course. I always like to be pawed on Saturdays.” Taking a deep swig, Ty moved over on the wall, allowing the sassy lady to join his wall-holding party.

From the short conversations he’d had with Tamara over the last hour or so, Ty was sure he was in for a treat. She had a funny way of looking at things, and seemed utterly incapable of keeping a thought to herself. And everything she’d said so far had made him laugh, and he was sure this time wouldn’t be much different. Thankfully, she didn’t make him wait too long.

“Well I’m here to protect you, until Charlotte’s done with the deal. Anybody who reaches for your ass again will draw back a nub.” Her big brown eyes squinted in what Ty assumed was supposed to be a fierce glare.

“Then I thank you beforehand for protecting my virtue.”

“Virtue.” She laughed in her soft husky way. “From the tales Charlotte’s been sharing with me, there’s not much left to your virtue. I’m just making my sure my girl’s property is protected.”

“Are you willing to fight to the death?”

“Of course.” As if God was testing her word, a statuesque redhead who’d been eyeing him all night flitted her way over to them. Before she could get a word out though, Tamara growled, “Back off, Ariel,” shocking the woman and Ty, who immediately roared with laughter.

The woman’s intake of breath was damn near audible, causing Ty to laugh harder as she backed up and stormed away. Everyone seemed to turn in their direction, which was even more amusing now that Tamara was wearing an angelic smile.

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“I think I like you,” he finally got out as he calmed down, and tears of amusement shimmered in his eyes. He could see why Charlotte liked Tamara. She was good people.

Open, honest, and funny as hell, she reminded him a lot of Charlotte.

“Keep Charlotte happy, and I’ll like you right back.” Slipping him a sly glance, Tamara probed further. “Speaking of Charlotte, what are your intentions toward her?”

“To make her happy for as long as I live,” Ty stated with all honesty. There was no doubt in his mind where their relationship was heading. He wanted, needed Charlotte in his life for the long run. She was his. Just as much as he was hers.

“Wow.” Tamara stared at him with shock on her face. “I think I like you already.”

“I hope so. Can’t have you spending weekends on the ranch if you don’t.” Tamara just snickered. “I so don’t think so. You’re not converting me to the dark side.”

“What dark side?” Charlotte asked, joining them.

“Your boy here is on a mission to bring all the black folks to the other side.”

“Not all, just two,” Ty said with grin. Pulling Charlotte into him, he rested his head on top of her hair, breathing in her tropical scent. “Can we blow this pop stand, or are we here for the long run?”

“We can definitely leave. I’ve schmoozed enough for one night, and all I want to do is to go home and climb into bed.”

Squeezing her to him, Ty murmured, “I like that idea.”

“Okay, that’s enough, you two. Unless you really want the women slicing their wrists in envy, you need to take that shit home. Have some sympathy for us celibate, horny women.”

Charlotte’s soft laughter filtered up toward Ty, filling his senses with her being. All he wanted to do was to undress her and make love -- hell, as short as her dress was, he didn’t even have to undress her to make love, but he’d do it anyway, just for the added pleasure.

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They quickly said their goodbyes to everyone, and after walking Tamara to her car, Ty and Charlotte climbed into his black sedan. The car had barely started before Charlotte slipped off her shoes and made herself comfortable in her seat. Sighing prettily, she turned in the seat until she was facing him.

“Thank you for coming tonight. I’m sorry I spent most of the evening talking to clients.

I know it couldn’t have been much fun for you.”

“I had a really good time. Tamara is a lot of fun.”

“Isn’t she though?” Charlotte’s voice held a hint of laughter in it, and after meeting Tamara, Ty completely understood. “You weren’t too bored, then, huh?”

“Not too bored, no. Definitely not any less bored than you’ll be when the situation is reversed and we’re at a party for the ranch.”

“I don’t know. If all the men look as good as you did tonight, I’m sure I can find something to do to occupy my time.”

“Brat,” he teased. Reaching over, Ty placed his hands on her thigh and lovingly caressed her.

When Ty pulled up to the exit of the parking lot, he paused, turning to look at Charlotte, whose eyes were closed. “Baby,” he whispered, nudging her thigh with his hand.

“I’m going to need directions to where we’re going.”

“Hmmm ...” she yawned, opening her eyes for a few seconds before shutting them again. “We’re going home.”

Rubbing his hand back and forth over her thigh, Ty smiled down at his own personal sleeping beauty. “I haven’t been to your house before,” he reminded her gently.

“Not my house,” she murmured, snuggling deeper in her seat. “I want to go home. To your house.”

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Ty froze, startled to hear Charlotte refer to his house as home. It was pleasing, but surprising nonetheless. “To the ranch, darlin’?” Ty wanted to make sure he heard her correctly.

“Yes. Home.”

Home. The words sounded like poetry on her lips. “Home, it is.” The dashboard clock flashed the time at Ty, and despite the late hour, he was feeling wide-awake. Awake and strangely exhilarated. Ty didn’t know what kind of epiphany Charlotte had come to, but whatever was making his brown-eyed beauty sing her new little tune, he was all for it. It was about damn time, too.

He wanted her to think of the Dollar as home, as their home, because he had already begun to think of it that way. All they needed to do now, in his opinion, was to wrangle up a judge and make it legal. The sooner the better, too, as far as he was concerned.

These little jaunts of hers back and forth to LA were beginning to cause wear and tear on his well-being. Sometimes it felt as if he wasn’t whole until she was back home with him.

The three-hour trip seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye, and before he knew it, Ty was driving through the gates of the ranch. Parking the car, Ty took a minute to watch Charlotte sleep, her ample chest rising and falling with each breath, a soft sawing noise drifting up from between her lips. She was just as adorable asleep as she was awake.

Leaning over, Ty brushed the back of his knuckles against her soft cheek, tenderly calling her name. “Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re here.” Charlotte rolled opened her eyes and looked over at him sleepily. “Where are we?”

“We’re home.”

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Chapter Seven

Charlotte awoke to Ty’s teasing tongue tormenting her aroused clit. Closing her eyes again, she reached between her splayed thighs and tugged on his thick hair, bringing him closer to her aching center. What a way to start the day.

Ty chuckled against her, sending chills coursing throughout her sensitive mound.

Shivering she dug her toes into the warm sheet, pushing up into his torturing mouth, as she rolled her head back and forth against the pillow in pleasure.

Her body trembled in ecstasy as Ty feasted on her. He dallied around her aroused bud before traveling down her hot center and slipping into her soaked sex. He toyed with her.

Keeping her on edge, giving her pleasure, giving her pain, never giving her all at the same time, practically forcing the orgasm to rip from her body. And when it came, it came like a crashing wave, washing over her fiercely yet thoroughly, encasing her entire body with pleasure. Languishing in the aftermath, Charlotte felt weak, which was funny since she hadn’t done anything but lie there and receive pleasure. Life was good.

“Good morning,” she whispered opening her eyes, watching Ty stare up at her from between her spread thighs. His mouth glazed with her juices, his eyes were alight with love.

“I’d say,” he teased, before blowing gently on her clit.

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“Stop,” she mumbled, pushing at him. There was only so much a woman could take in a span of a single minute.

“I don’t think so. I’m never going to stop.” Moving up her body, between her legs, Ty leaned over her. “You’re mine. Forever.”

“I think I’m okay with that.” Smiling, Charlotte wrapped her legs around his lean hips.

“Does that mean you’re going to wake me up every morning like this?”

“I think I can arrange that.” Ty nudged the head of his cock against her slick opening, and pushed forward. Their groans filled the air as he filled her snug depths with his hard member, and for a moment, neither of them spoke, both lost in the sensation of the other.

It had been a week and a half since her Christmas party and two days before the holiday itself, and Charlotte couldn’t be happier. They had finally come to an agreement about the living arrangements, and after New Year’s, she was going to close up shop on her LA lifestyle and give ranch living a go.

With Nathan relocating to Santa Estrella it was the perfect time for Charlotte to make the move. She would be able to keep her job and be with Ty, the best of both worlds, all within her grasp. Life just didn’t get much better than that.

They were even talking about marriage, or rather, Ty was talking about it, but Charlotte hadn’t said yes yet. She wanted to take things slower. A bit too slow for Ty’s liking, but he was dealing ... or his version of dealing, anyway.

Gripping both of her hands in one of his massive ones, Ty held her hands over her head, holding her down to the bed. “You know, if you marry me, I can promise you wonderful orgasms like that on a daily basis.” Leaning down, he took her elongated nipple in his mouth, teasing the aroused peak with his lips. His teeth nibbled at her aching tip, before suckling it to a feverish peak, then releasing it to move to its twin. Moaning, Charlotte arched up to him, testing his grip on her Spurs & Mistletoe: For Love’s Sake Only

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wrists. She loved it when he held her down like this. It made her feel so vulnerable, but safe at the same time. Ty would never hurt her ... unless she begged him to.

“I’m getting them anyway,” she groaned, clenching her muscles around his throbbing cock. The heat building in the nadir of her pussy was threatening to take over her entire body.

“You know, you’re just making this harder on yourself. You’re going to give in soon. I can feel it in my bones,” he panted, speeding up his rhythm.

“I don’t think that’s your bone you’re feeling.”

“I love you,” he murmured, staring into her eyes. His grip on her wrists tightened, but Charlotte didn’t mind. He loved her.

“I love you, too,” she replied, looking up into his adoring blue eyes.

His eyes narrowed as he focused on what she’d whispered. “Tell me,” he demanding, pushing into her again. “Tell me again.”

Charlotte complied, moaning, “I love you,” over and over as he plunged into her. She was unable to deny Ty the words he longed to hear. Everything of hers was his. Her body, her soul, her mind belonged to Ty, a few words wouldn’t make that much of a difference.

Tightening her legs around his waist, Charlotte met him thrust for thrust, milking his cock with the walls of her pussy. Each stroke brought her closer to the passion she had only truly experienced in Ty’s arms.

“So fucking good,” he muttered. “So good.”

Charlotte couldn’t agree more. She trembled at his words, taking every inch of his cock her hot little box could handle. “Harder,” she pleaded, waiting to take him as deep and as hard as he could give.

Ty gave her what she craved, and Charlotte came, exploding beneath him as he exploded in her. Clenching his teeth, Ty shuddered as he pressed into her once more, her name a cry on his lips.

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He collapsed besides her, looking as tired as she felt. “You’re going to marry me,” Ty demanded, his voice not daring her to disagree.

“I know,” Charlotte admitted with a secret smile of her own. “I just wanted you to work for my yes, first.”

After great sex and a long, relaxing shower, Charlotte was ready to climb right back into her bed and pass out again, but duty called. Strolling down the hall, Charlotte stopped in front of Ty’s office, knocking on the door before she entered.

“Ah, there she is.” Ty and his lawyer, Russell Crichton, stood, smiling at her as she walked in the door. He was too busy looking at her to notice the look of shock on the faces of his business associates, but Charlotte didn’t miss it. “Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to my fiancée, Charlotte. Charlotte, this is Dean Zellerman and his father, Beaumont. And Russell you’ve already met.”

Charlotte nodded to Russell, but her gaze never left the Zellermans. Recovering quickly, the older of the two men hid his shock behind a mask of disdain. It was a look that Charlotte had seen a million times in her lifetime, but one she hadn’t been prepared for here.

It was earth-shattering. A real wake-up call on the eve of the beautiful dream Ty had inspired inside of her. Hiding her hurt beneath a cool façade, Charlotte stuck out her hand, forcing the man to either shake it or look like an ass.

“Good afternoon.” Take that, you narrow-minded prick. She’d kill him with kindness and watch him choke on it, with a smile.

He shook her hand quickly, barely holding on to her hand for a second. His companion, though, was different. He looked like a younger version of the first man, and he smiled warmly at her as he shook her hand. His behavior almost made up for the older gentleman’s ... almost.

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Walking over to Ty, Charlotte could see that he sensed something was wrong. She didn’t want to worry him though. So, instead, she put on a brave front and smiled, loosely wrapping her arm around his waist.