NotoriousWoman (19 page)
Authors: Annabelle Weston
To think she’d been willing to miss out on love because of
all the anger she had held on to all these years. Mama was just like Kate
remembered her—a city girl who didn’t like ranching. Kate was the opposite of
her ma in many ways but they had some things in common. They had both rebelled
against the roles laid out for them.
She discovered forgiveness came easy. If she wanted Jake in
her life, she must forgive him as well.
Mr. Purdy was the first to greet her. “Have you heard from
my son and his wife?”
“Not a word,” Kate said. She’d misjudged the man, blaming
him for Pa’s murder. She hoped he would forgive her. Seems there was a lot of
that going around.
Mr. Purdy nodded. “Those two must be having a good stay.”
“Yes sir.”
“What brings you down our way?” he asked.
“I understand Jake Madden works for you.”
The old man rubbed his whiskers. There was a twinkle in his
eye. “He sure does. I saw him just now at the bunkhouse. Why don’t you try
there?”
“Thanks.” She was relieved he hadn’t moved on.
“Do you want me to take you?”
“No, I’ll find it,” she answered. What she had to say didn’t
need an audience.
She followed a well-worn path. A group of men were relaxing
in front of the bunkhouse. Someone was playing a harmonica. There was a fire in
a metal barrel, shooting up sparks.
A wiry man jumped to his feet. “Howdy do? Name’s Shorty.”
“Evening, Shorty. Would you help me? I’m looking for Jake
Madden.”
“What do you want, Kate?”
Kate whirled around. Jake stood in the doorway, his Stetson
pulled down low over his eyes. Her body seized with a terrible regret. Was she
going to be able to make this right between them?
Kate swallowed hard. Seeing him looking so fine brought more
emotions bubbling to the surface—none of them negative. “We need to talk,” she
said.
“Say what you have to say,” he replied.
“It’s between us, Jake.”
“These fellers are my friends. We don’t have any secrets
from each other, do we?”
Shorty snickered. They were joined by more cowhands,
rough-looking men.
Kate winced. He was making her pay a price for her mean
spirit and foul temper. She deserved it.
She squared her shoulders. “Thank you for fixing my wagon.”
His lip twitched. “It was the least I could do.”
She sucked in a breath, prepared to lay her heart out on the
line. “I’m sorry, Jake. I’m sorry for what I said. I want you to come back to
my place.”
“I don’t think I want to do that,” he replied.
“I need you.” She stepped closer. “Please, Jake, come home.”
Before he could protest, she kissed him. Hard.
“Aw, heck,” Shorty said. “We reckoned you hadn’t been able
to tame her.”
The other men grumbled as well as they pulled fistfuls of
silver coins out of their pockets and gave them to Shorty.
Kate hid a smile. Jake gathered her into his arms and kissed
her back.
When they came up for a breath, the wranglers were cheering.
Well, don’t that beat all?
she mused. There was a little romance in
these
hombres
.
“When I said ‘let me love you’…I wasn’t lying,” Jake said.
“I know.” She swallowed hard and forged ahead. “I can’t run
a ranch by myself. I need an experienced foreman.”
“That suits me fine.”
“Forever?”
“Forever.”
“I love you, foreman.” She would make sure to show him how
much.
“I love you too, boss.”
Shorty handed him a bag jingling with coins. “You two take
care.”
Jake touched two fingers to the brim of his hat and offered
her his arm. She took hold, happier than she could ever have believed possible.
They climbed atop her buggy with Jake at the reins. He gave
the reins a shake and they started down the road.
“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning her head on his
shoulder.
Jake glanced down and winked at her. “I reckoned a new
buckboard was the least I could do for you, honey.”
Kate smiled and wrapped her arms around his middle. “I
wasn’t talking about the wagon.”
He looked down at her, confusion arching his brows. “What
then?”
Gazing deeply into his eyes, she was touched again with how
much she cared for him and him for her. He’d flipped her world upside down—in a
good way. Without him, she’d still be lost.
She reached up, pressing her palm to his cheek. “Thank you
for being so patient with me.”
“Oh darling, I think we both have each other to thank.” He
leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. “You made this stubborn cowboy find
out what was important to him.”
Kate had never heard a finer speech. To think all of this
was happening to her!
Jake pulled the wagon to a stop and took her fully in his
arms. “I want to marry you, Katie. Raise a brood of stubborn, sharp-tongued
children with you.”
She laughed, her head falling back. “You really want to
bring more jaw-punching, whip-wielding ladies into the world?”
“Yes ma’am.” He grinned and chucked her under the chin.
“You’re perfect, Katie. I want a life with you and a corral full of
children—even if they are liable to knock me off my feet.”
Kate turned serious. “I do, Jake, yes. I want to spend my
life with you. You are truly a wonderful, honorable man. I can’t imagine my
life without you in it.”
She inched onto his lap, capturing his mouth in a swirl of
tongue and lips. They kissed with abandon, urgency, whispering loving words to
each other as they continued to explore each other.
Kate threaded her hands through his hair, tugging at the
nape, reveling in the sensual growl Jake emitted. He lifted her into the air,
moving her so she straddled his lap. The contact of his hard erection against
her wet and quivering cunny was like lightning. She moaned and shuddered,
wanting more than anything for their clothes to get out of the way and their
bodies to join.
Only this morning, she didn’t think she’d ever see him
again, speak to him, and she prayed he wouldn’t hold a grudge. And he must’ve
been hoping the same thing, seeing how he’d not left the territory. If she’d
lost him… The notion only reinforced her need to feel him inside her. She
wanted him holding her. Touching her. Claiming her as she claimed him.
“Katie,” he groaned against her throat as he slid his lips
along the sensitive column. “I want you so bad. I don’t think I can wait.”
“What if someone comes?” A moment of distress seized her as
she imagined them fully engaged when another buggy came by.
“Shit, I don’t care,” he said softly, his mouth claiming her
puckered nipple through her shirt.
She arched her back, rubbed her cunny against his cock,
urging him on. Truth was, she wanted him so bad she couldn’t wait another
second.
“I’ve missed you.” Jake unbuttoned her shirt.
Her breathing grew rapid. His hot breath caressed her skin
and still she shivered. “Take me, Jake.”
He obliged and pressed his mouth to her bare flesh, skimming
up her britches, stroking over her waistband and then finding her center. He
sank his fingers into her slick cunny and she moaned loudly at the exquisite
touch.
Kate rubbed his chest, his abdomen, his cock. She needed him
inside her now, needed that declaration from him that he was hers forever. She
wrenched open his britches, his cock springing free. She stroked the thick,
silky length of him, brushing her thumb over the drop of moisture on the velvet
tip. She brought her thumb to her mouth and sucked.
“Oh Katie…” he groaned as he watched her movements. His eyes
blazed with hunger and her entire body came alive.
She slid off his lap, sinking to her knees in front of him.
“Katie,” he said again, and she almost laughed with joy at
his desperate need.
She liked having that effect on him, liked that he wanted
her so badly to suck his cock. And she’d never wanted to do it more. She
gripped his shaft and ran her tongue from the base to the tip, swirling over
the head and dipping against the center. Jake let out a guttural moan, his
fingers threading into her hair as he gripped her head.
“Yes,” he whispered sensuously.
She shuddered and took his cock deep into her mouth, all the
way to her throat. He bucked as she bobbed up and down, sucking hard. She
cupped his sac, massaging the slick skin. When she felt his sac tighten, he
pulled her head back.
“I don’t want to finish this way…” He grinned wickedly. “Not
today anyway.”
His eyes were heavy lidded and she was struck with the
realization that this man, this handsome, sensual man, was all hers. Without a
word, she leaned up and kissed him hard on the mouth. Keeping their lips
locked, she stood, dropped her britches, shed her drawers and straddled his
straining cock.
Jake thrust up, burying his solid length deep inside her.
With her grasp anchored firmly on his shoulders, her knees beside his hips,
Kate took control of their joining, riding him hard.
Their breaths came in frantic pants. Their lovemaking was
raw and frenzied, both of them urgent in their race to the finish but also
needing to sink inside one another’s soul.
Jake glanced at Kate and slid his hand up her spine. He
grabbed the back of her head and pulled her down for a heart-slamming kiss.
“I love you,” he murmured against her mouth, between licking
at her lips and sucking on her tongue.
“I…love you.” Speaking became difficult for Kate. The
pressure in her center grew. Her breath hitched and caught as she gasped.
“Yes, that’s it, come for me, Katie.” Jake picked up the
pace. His body arched and bucked beneath her.
He reached between their bodies, finding the nub of her
pleasure with his thumb. Sparks flew in front of her eyes. Kate closed them,
let her forehead fall to his.
She yielded to the heat of their passion, flames licking at
her insides and finally exploding outward. She quivered uncontrollably and her
legs shook as she rode out her climax. To think she might have missed love
because of her stubbornness.
Beneath her, Jake rocked powerfully upward, pumping and
letting out a loud groan that set her body to flames again. He shuddered and
collapsed.
They languished in the throes of passion, kissing, touching,
murmuring softly until their heartbeats calmed, leaving a glowing aftermath of
affection and satiation.
“I never truly wanted to tame you, Katie.”
She laughed. “But I’m willing to let you try…in bed.”
“That’s the last place I want to see you tame.”
After one more kiss, he picked up the reins. They raced back
to the ranch, already eager to make love again.
The End
About Anabelle Weston
A multi-published author of sizzling romance, Annabelle
Weston knows how to push boundaries. With dual citizenship in the USA and
France, Ms. Weston spends serious air time crossing the pond and is a proud,
card-carrying member of the mile high club.
Annabelle welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email addresses on her
author
bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
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Also by
Annabelle
Weston
Desert
Heat 2: Scandalous Woman
Print books by Annabelle Weston
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Notorious Woman
ISBN 9781419938610
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Notorious Woman Copyright © 2013 Annabelle Weston
Edited by Carrie Jackson
Cover design by Dar Albert
Photos: Curaphotography, Igor Kireev, Sofia Andreevna and Anton
Foltin/Shutterstock.com and Matthew Antonio/Fotolia.com
Electronic book publication March 2013
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