Sun Burnt (6 page)

Her brain was still trying to assimilate what it thought it knew about Beau, the professional with the truth, Beau the even hotter ranch foreman. It just was
n’
t computing yet. Tipp
y’
s next words whipped the smile right off his handsome face.

“
As I was saying, Beau,
I’
d like to introduce you to Kesslyn
.”
Beau looked over to Tippy with confusion
.“
Kesslyn Walker is the daughter of Russell, Jr. and the new owner of Walker Ranch
.
”

FOUR

Beau stormed into the barn and headed straight for Zeu
s’
s stall. He needed a long, hard ride. Judging by the way Zeus snorted and stomped his hooves, he was ready to oblige. He patted the beautiful, grey geldin
g’
s neck. Several other horses stuck their heads out of their stalls in search of attention. He was such a sucker for animals. Beau calmed his racing blood and went down the line, patting and praising each animal as he went.

H
e’
d been thinking about his sweet yankee redhead and little else since Saturday night. H
e’
d made up his mind to head over to the hotel after his meeting with Russell Walker, Jr., the new owner of the W. He could only hope Kesslyn was still there. If not, he was going to attempt charming Kessly
n’
s last name, and maybe even an address or phone number, out of Ms. Betty at the registration desk. Then, h
e’
d find that girl and see where things led, because damn it, he wanted more of that woman. She was so luscious and warm. The scent of her, the flavor of her sweetness lingered hotly in his memory, and Beau wanted more. 

It turns out he would
n’
t have to go to all that trouble to locate the woman. Finding Tippy hard at work in the Walker kitchen had been a pleasant surprise after seeing the house vacant for so long. Walking into that kitchen to find the very woman wh
o’
d had his cock hard for days was even better. He was such an idiot sometimes. What had he been thinking, that maybe sh
e’
d been just as enthralled by their encounter as he had? Tha
t’
s exactly what h
e’
d thought was going on. Bea
u’
s ego swelled at the idea that his little obsession had somehow searched him out. It would
n’
t be hard. All sh
e’
d have to do is ask about him in town. Anybody she met would know where to find him.

He was looking into those eyes, those deep blue eyes the color of the evening sky, and imagining getting her into an actual bed so he could play out all the fantasies plaguing him so relentlessly. He wanted her naked and open to him. He wanted to taste every inch of that creamy skin before he claimed her body again. Beau was already mentally peeling her out of that sundress and releasing her gorgeous auburn hair from its ponytail when Tippy dropped a bomb at his booted foot.

Her name was Kesslyn Walker of the Walker Creek, Walkers. She was
n’
t just the bos
s’
s daughter. No, she was the boss. It seemed that no one in Walker Creek, including his late employer, had been aware that Russell, Jr. had been killed along with his wife two years before. Tippy went on about how the town was in shock, but thankfully Kesslyn had come to take over Walker Ranch. Beau just stared at Kesslyn in horror.

Their meeting had been short and stilted. Tippy had picked up on the tension immediately and tried to smooth things over. Tippy did most of the talking while he and Kesslyn tried to pretend all was well.

It was decided that Kesslyn would be working with Tippy for the next day or two to find more staff for the big house. Tippy would also be taking Kesslyn to meet all the appropriate people in town. Yeah, because she practically owned the son of a bitchi
n’
town. Everyone would want to meet their patroness.

This could
n’
t be happening. Kesslyn was his yankee princess, not his fucking boss. She was a sexy, unattached woman he wanted to get to know better. Not a fucking millionaire who was far above his reach. Damn it! He wanted to shout. He wanted something.

Kesslyn came striding into the barn with fire in her eyes. She skidded to a halt when she saw him leaving the tack room with Zeu
s’
s saddle.

“
Oh, I thought you left
,”
she said with her cute little nose turned up. She went to the nearest stall to inspect Butterscotch, the silky brown mare leaning her head over the stall door in search of an affectionate pat.

“
I work here, Ms. Walker. I thought w
e’
d just had this discussion
.”
He did
n’
t know why she was acting like the injured party here. He was the one wh
o’
d be fighting his lust for the boss for the rest of his natural life. He groaned inwardly. Why had
n’
t he gone to the hotel yesterday? He could have at least tasted her one more time before she was moved from his reach.

“
Is
n’
t that interesting
?”
she grumbled to the horse
.“I’
m Ms. Walker now
.
”

It was clear that she was just as peeved as he was, but Beau could see no reason for her attitude. He was glad sh
e’
d come out to the barn. It was better they had it out now. There were no witnesses around to spread the tale to all of Walker Creek.

“
You got a problem with me, Kesslyn Walker? Because if
I’
m gonna get shit-canned,
I’
d like to know now
.
”

“
No, Beau, I do
n’
t have a problem with you, and I have no intention of firing a foreman who by all accounts is the best cowboy around
.”
She glared in his direction.

Kesslyn moved down the line to look at the next horse. It was Samson, a big black stud. He was usually a little testy with strangers, and Beau was about to warn her, but Samson seemed to preen under Kessly
n’
s attention, showing off for the pretty lady. Beau could
n’
t blame the animal. He wanted her attention too.

“
Cattleman
,”
he corrected her.

“
Huh
?
”

“
You said I was the best cowboy around.
I’
ll grant you, i
t’
s true
.”
He gave her an arrogant grin. It was mighty nice of her to admit it
.“
But the correct term is cattleman. This is a cattle ranch
.
”

“
Oh
,”
she nodded
,“I’
ll remember. Cattleman. Got it
.”
She looked at him directly, stepping into his space
.“
I do
n’
t have any issues with you, but
I’
d like to know why yo
u’
re angry with me, Beau
.”
She put too much emphasis on his name, just as he had hers
.”
And why did you say my name like that
?
”

“
Like what
?
”

“
Like it tasted bad or something
.”
She raised an accusing eyebrow.

“
I do
n’
t know? Maybe if
I’
d been given your last name, this would
n’
t have happened. And what kind of name is that anyway, Kesslyn
?
”

“
My name? What the hell kind of name is Beau? Kesslyn happens to be the kind of name cowboys pretending to be businessmen tell me is pretty. Tha
t’
s what kind of name it is! What kind of name is Beau? It sounds like a hair accessory! And what do you mean by this would
n’
t have happened
?
”

“
Pretending? Did I tell you I was a businessman? No, I did
n’
t. You assumed. I happenedto have been the best man in a wedding that day. There were quite a few people there for the after party wearing formal clothing. And
I’
ll have you know that, unlike that hippie-sounding name yo
u’
ve got, Beauregard is a family name that
I’
m damn proud to carry. Look it up, darli
n’
. It means handsome. And if
I’
d known you were a high and mighty Walker, I would
n’
t have sullied you with my dirty cowboy dick
.
”

She thought h
e’
d been playing her? Pretending to be someone he was
n’
t? Sh
e’
d wanted the guy in the sharp suit. The guy in a cowboy hat, not so much. It just went to prove that he had no chance with her now.

“
I did
n’
t say you were dirty! I only said you misled me! Do
n’
t put words in my mouth, Beau
!
”

“
Yo
u’
re a damn hypocrite
,”
he accused
.“
You were the one pretending to be someone you were
n’
t. Not me, Yankee
!
”

“
It is not a hippie name, by the way! My mom named me! And
I’
m not a yankee! How do you figure
I’
m a hypocrite
?”
Kesslyn shouted.

“
You should have told me who you were! You said you were leaving town in the morning
!”
Beau shouted back. The horses began to fidget, the loud voices and tension upsetting them.

“
I did leave town. I moved to the ranch. Why does my name matter? Did you care? Did you ask for my last name? No! You turned that sexy cowboy thing on me for no other reason than to get in my pants. You did
n’
t care who I was
!
”

“
So
!”
Shit. She had him there. Only he had
n’
t been able to stop thinking of her since then
.“
You were after the same thing
!
”

“
So
!”
Kessly
n’
s cheeks were flushed with anger or embarrassment, he was
n’
t sure which. Her ponytail was coming loose. The strap of her frilly sundress was sliding down her shoulder. Beau had never seen a more captivating woman in his life. Even her too fast yankee accent was sexy as hell.

They were shouting in each othe
r’
s faces and bickering like children one moment and kissing the next. Beau was
n’
t sure who moved first, but they ended up tangled in each othe
r’
s arms. She clung to him, sucking at his tongue and rubbing against him. He lifted her against him and pressed her voluptuous ass to the wall. Her skirt hiked up when she wrapped her long legs around Bea
u’
s waist. The thin fabric of her panties was no barrier against the heat of her pussy.

Bea
u’
s hand on her ass slid a little deeper. He dipped under the lace of those panties and into the velvety slickness of her folds. She hissed against his mouth. Moaning when he pressed a finger into her core. Fuck yeah. She was hot and ready for him.

“
Undo my jeans, Kesslyn, now
.”
He had to get inside of that slick little pussy. She stalled
.“
Do it
.”
It was a demand. He wanted her, and she wanted what he had for her. He knew it, and so did she. He might not be the professional she assumed he was, but he was the man wh
o’
d fucked her right and made her shout his name.

Kessly
n’
s legs lowered from around his waist. He never let up the assault on her mouth while she unbuckled his belt and freed his rigid dick from its denim prison. She stroked him with a soft hand and sucked at his tongue.

Beau quickly retrieved a condom and tossed his wallet to the floor. He pressed the condom into Kessly
n’
s hand. She knew what he wanted. While she went about sheathing his dick, Beau was teasing the little button hidden by tidy red curls at the apex of Kesslyn's thighs. She moved against his hand wanting more pressure.

It was delicious agony when she rolled the condom down his shaft. He could
n’
t wait any longer. Beau lifted Kesslyn back into his arms. He pressed her to wall. His dick needed no direction, sliding through her wetness and finding a home in her body unerringly.