The Cowboy's Temptation (11 page)

As soon as Jake touched her skin, she was lost in a sensuous haze. He seemed to have total control of her body and all Elissa could do was hold on to his shoulders. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own and her body leaned into his, her breasts feeling the hard muscle of his chest, her legs tightening around his waist, telling him without words that she wanted him to continue.

Elissa gasped when she felt his hands touch her bare skin under her tee-shirt. But her body instantly reacted and at the same time Jake’s hand closed over her breast, his mouth covered hers in a passionate kiss that made her dizzy. She moaned in the back of her throat, her arms pulling him closer and her back arched against his hand when his thumb found her nipple underneath the lace of her bra.

A voice in the back of Jake’s head told him to stop but her moans were driving him to distraction. He had never felt this kind of urge to posses a woman. It was raw, overwhelming and he didn’t want it to stop. He didn’t want to stop touching her either. She was so responsive. Each place he touched elicited either a moan or a gasp and it fogged his brain so he searched out the next place, needing her response like a drug.

His erection ached and he could feel the warmth of her through his jeans. He wanted this tiny woman more than he’d ever wanted anyone else. His other hand moved up to cup her left breast, finding the nipple already hard and waiting for him and the realization that she wanted him as much as he did threw him over the edge.

Jake was about to pick her up and carry her inside to the couch when he heard the kitchen door open and close. He didn’t want to acknowledge the interruption but the voice calling his name was persistent and sounded urgent.

“Jake? You in here?” a voice called out from the family room. The sound penetrated Elissa’s brain a moment later and she looked around, trying to figure out where she was and what was happening. Jake was pulling her shirt down and holding onto her waist, his broad shoulders hiding her from the person now stepping out onto the pool patio.

“What’s up, Jimmy?” Jake asked, his voice deeper than usual.

“Oh,” the intruder said, only just realizing that Elissa was behind Jake. “Sorry boss. But there’s a problem in the barn. One of the pregnant mares is having a bit of a problem.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute,” Jake said.

 

“Sure thing,” Jimmy said and quickly turned around to head back the way he’d come.

Elissa pushed against Jake’s shoulders so she could jump down off the fence but he wouldn’t budge. Once the man was gone, Jake turned back to face her, only then letting her jump down but holding her waist firmly but gently.

“I’m sorry, Elissa. I have to go see what the problem is. We’ll finish this later.”

 

Elissa stepped back and out of his hands. “No, please. This can’t happen again. I don’t…” She tried to step around him but Jake wouldn’t let her.

He grabbed her waist and bent down to kiss her hard on her mouth. She fought it for only a moment before her lips softened and her body sagged against his. Only then did he lift his mouth from hers. “We will finish this,” he said, then walked away, stepping out of the pool area and striding quickly towards the barn.

Elissa leaned back against the fence and watched him. How could he have that kind of control over her body and mind, she wondered, her hungry eyes watching his broad shoulders and long legs eat up the space between the house and the barn.

Who was he anyway? He was such a mystery to her. He didn’t act like the type of men she’d known in New York. But was that enough for her to take a chance?

She shivered, remembering his hands touching her body and how easily he could make her forget where they were. She shook her head and walked into the house. No – definitely not worth taking a risk on Jake. He probably had this effect on any woman he came across. She’d seen the other women in town and how they flocked to him. She didn’t need that kind of frustration.

Her body definitely wanted Jake. But what would happen if she allowed him to make love to her? Men needed variety. Would she be able to handle watching Jake with another woman? Could she just forget what he made her feel?

No way. Things were fine just the way they were, she told herself. She needed to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life and then she’d be more centered. Hadn’t she climbed through the ranks in New York? She was one of the youngest executives. Surely once she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, this silly thing with Jake would go away. Elissa convinced herself that Jake was just a transitional person in her life and she needed to get back on track or get hurt by her life’s confusion.

Elissa wandered into the barn the next day. She knew everyone was extremely busy. There were several mares that were due to give birth any day now and one was having problems.

She didn’t want to bother anyone but she wanted to say hello to Jemima. She knew it was a silly feeling but she actually missed the gentle horse. Elissa felt as if she and the horse had formed some sort of indefinable bond over the past two weeks. Rick and Jake and a few other ranch hands were walking out of the second barn when she reached Jemima’s stall.

The two barns were side by side and, because of the early summer heat, the doors were wide open. Rick waved to her as he passed by the door which drew Jake’s attention to Elissa. She wasn’t sure, but she thought that his eyes did a double take when he realized where she was heading. Jake stopped and listened to whatever Rick was telling him and Elissa pulled her gaze away from his body and continued on towards the sweet horse waiting for her.

“Hello! How are you doing today?” Elissa soothed as she opened the gate to Jemima’s stall. “Were you waiting for me? I’m sorry I wasn’t out to see you yesterday. I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to start my lessons again.”

She continued to talk to the horse as she offered Jemima the apple she’d brought from the kitchen. The horse immediately took a large bite of the apple, taking half of it in her mouth and chomping while Elissa spoke soothing words and patted her neck.

Jake watched as Elissa walked into the barn, wondering why she was heading in there. She’d avoided the barn ever since their kiss by the pool. He knew she’d been avoiding him. Each time he’d found a few minutes to himself, he tried to find her and question her on why she was avoiding him. But he hadn’t been able to find her and had been called back to ranch problems.

He smiled wickedly as he watched her slip into Jemima’s stall. She was on his turf now. He listened with only half an ear as Rick talked about a problem with the fences on the south border. But he didn’t want to hear about the problems. There was only one problem he wanted to address, or more specifically undress, and she was trapped in the barn right at the moment.

The terrified scream came from the direction Elissa had just headed and Jake’s heart dropped into his stomach. His body reacted quickly, sprinting down the center of the first barn.

His next vision was Elissa running out of the stall where Jemima was housed, her hair flying behind her, then crossing over her face as she glanced backwards.

 

Jake was still running towards her but the sight of her eased some of the fear he’d felt. At least she was okay, if still terrified of something.

Jake grunted when she ran right into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist and her body pressing against his. He grabbed her, holding her in the most convenient place given her current position; both of his hands held her steady, his fingers curving around her bottom.

Her arms were strong, he realized as he tried to pull her back to find out what had scared her. “Elissa, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice soothing.

 

“In there,” she pointed to the stall. “Something big….huge….scary…I don’t know what. It’s in there,” she said, shaking her finger at the stall. ”Help Jemima!”

Jake nodded, his mind already a little fuzzy with her sexy body pressed against his. “Okay, okay,” he soothed. “But you’ll have to let go of me so I can see what’s wrong.”

“No!” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. “You can’t go in there! I don’t know what it is.”

 

“Dan, go see what’s wrong,” Jake said, still holding Elissa close, enjoying the feeling of her body against his but also noting that she barely weighed anything.

 

Dan smothered a smile at his boss’s expression and the little woman’s admonishment that Jake couldn’t investigate the danger. “Sure thing, Jake.”

“It’s huge and brown!” Elissa explained, worried that the man might be hurt. “Be careful.” She pushed her body away from Jake’s slightly so she could get down, but turned around to watch Dan, pressing her back against Jake’s chest, her fingers unknowingly clutching at his thighs.

Jake’s body had already reacted to Elissa when she’d jumped into his arms. But now, having her bottom pressed up against his groin and her hands touching his thighs, perilously close to his aching need, he had to concentrate hard so the others wouldn’t see how she was affecting him. His arm had already moved protectively around her waist, but now he held her to hold her in place as well as to protect her from whatever was in the stall.

The ranch hand poked his head around the stall and tipped his head back. Elissa wondered a moment later when he turned back around calmly instead of running away. By the look of amusement he was trying to suppress, she knew she’d made a fool of herself again. Dan tipped his hat back and rubbed his hand over his mouth. Elissa could see that laughter in his eyes and knew he was trying to be polite.

Dan reached for a shovel and headed back into the stall. A moment later, he came back out. On the end of the shovel was a very small, very brown animal that looked to be terrified of all the commotion.

Elissa watched as the man carried the baby beaver out of the barn. At the door, he lowered the shovel and the small brown ball of fur scurried off in the direction of the trees.

The other ranch hands who had come running at her scream slowly moved off, some of them chuckling, others just politely tipping their hats at Elissa, nodding to Jake. One or two of them patted Jake on the shoulder as they left Elissa alone in the barn with Jake.

Elissa couldn’t deal with the looks so she kept her gaze on the ground, crossing her arms over her chest and shuffling some hay on the floor with the toe of her boot.

 

Behind her Jake laughed softly. “Are you okay?”

Elissa smiled, knowing she had made a fool of herself and grateful Jake wasn’t going to point out that fact. “Yes. I think so. Jemima might not let me ride her again though.”

Jake went into the stall and patted the horse’s flanks. “Oh, I don’t know. I think she understands you were pretty concerned about her. Even though you got rid of her companion.

Elissa laughed with him this time. “Okay, you can say it. I’m an idiot.”

 

Jake turned back to see her face flushed with red. “You’re beautiful.”

 

Elissa’s head snapped up at that comment, her eyes meeting his in the dim light of the barn. “Don’t say things like that,” she said and started turning away.

 

He only let her get one stall away before he grabbed her from behind and hauled her into the empty stall filled only with loose hay.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“I’m stopping you from running away from me. I want to talk to you but whenever I’m free, you’re no where to be found.”

 

“Jake, I really need to get back to the house. I need to help Ronny”

“Why? Rick says the babies sleep at this time. And if the babies are sleeping, Ronny is probably also sleeping since you do everything else for her. You’re a good friend.”

“Thank you,” she said, embarrassed by his praise.

 

“So if Ronny is sleeping, the babies are sleeping, why don’t you stay here and tell me why you are running away from me?”

 

Elissa turned and walked towards the gate. “I’m not running away from you.” He put a strong arm over her shoulder, holding the stall door closed. “Yes you are. So let me suggest a reason,” he said softly in her ear.

 

“Jake, please, let me go.”

“You are terrified of what I can make you feel and you avoid me because when we’re close, we can’t seem to keep our hands off each other. How’s that? Pretty accurate?”

Elissa wouldn’t answer and she wouldn’t face him. She kept her gaze down on the floor of the barn, refusing to acknowledge him or his words.

 

“Why Elissa? We could be so good together.”

 

“No!”

Jake spun her around and anchored an arm on either side of her head, his body pinning hers to the stall door. “Yes!” he countered a moment before his mouth swooped down onto hers.

Elissa couldn’t reply even if she wanted to. At his first touch, her mind stopped functioning and all she could think about was Jake’s mouth, his hands as they held her waist, pulling her closer so her whole body was flush against his.

When he felt her arms go around his neck, pulling him close, Jake swung her up in his arms and carried her over to the pile of hay. His hands immediately moved up from her waist, his hands resting just below her breast. When her body arched towards him, his hand moved higher and he was rewarded with her gasp as his fingers found her hardened nipple.

Elissa wanted more. She put her hands on both sides of his head and held him there for their kiss, desperately needing something but not knowing what. Her body seemed to come alive each time he touched hers and when she ran away from him, she ached to finish whatever it was he could offer.

Somehow Jake had undone the buttons on her shirt. The front clasp of her bra was quickly dispensed with. Elissa was only vaguely aware of the cooler air against her bare breast but nothing penetrated the passion she was feeling. Her body writhed under Jake’s hands and when his hot mouth closed over her nipple, Elissa almost yelled with the pleasure his mouth was inflicting.

Muted voices at the other end of the barn called to another ranch hand and both Jake and Elissa froze.

Elissa buried her face in Jake’s neck as they heard the two people talking as they walked down the center aisle of the barn. Both were discussing the work they were tasked to do, one obviously a supervisor and the other questioning if he should take a truck out or one of the horses. The voices passed by the stall they were in and moved on down the barn, eventually fading to nothingness.