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He stared at me when I thought that he would smile. He didn’t. Then again, I don’t think a man like Denver knew how to smile.
“You aren’t leaving,” he said firmly.
That’s when reality came crashing back—full force. “Denver, I have to…” I said, still whispering, wanting to stay in this little bubble, me half naked in his arms. He pulled his hand away from my core and turned me to face him.
“You aren’t leaving,” he declared. Before I could protest, I was up off the ground. He was carrying me—me—in his arms bridal style. My arms were around his neck as he carried me up the stairs.
I looked to the spare bedroom, and he grunted. “Never again.”
He took me to his room and sat me down on his bed. Wordlessly, he turned and disappeared. I heard his boots going down the stairs. Looking around, I saw an armchair in the corner with a throw blanket. I moved to it, taking a seat and covering my lower half with the blanket.
A moment later, I heard his boots coming back up the stairs and when he emerged, he had bags. My shredded clothes were probably in the trash. He looked to where he’d sat me on the bed and then his eyes slowly lifted to where I was.
Something possessive flashed within his smoke, and I gulped.
What in the hell had I gotten myself into?
“Warning, baby. If I set put you in my bed, you stay in my fucking bed,” he said, his voice low.
I straightened my spine. “I would like to know what’s happening here.”
He tossed my luggage on the bed and came around to face me. He took a seat on the edge, bracing his elbows on his knees, those big hands hanging between them. God, he was so handsome.
“I don’t know, Val. All I know is that you were walking away from me yesterday and…that was something I didn’t like,” he looked up at me, his eyes scanning my face. “I shouldn’t want this—you. I should let you fucking leave and never come back but I can’t.”
His words lingered in the air between us.
“Denver, my mom—” I stopped myself. I could feel my throat getting tight and my eyes started to sting. Before coming to Colorado, I was skilled at hiding my feelings, putting on a brave face for the world. There must be something in the air here. Ever since I cried in my rental after our first encounter, I’ve had a difficult time keeping my emotions at bay.
My cowboy’s features softened at the mention of the only other person in my life and suddenly, I knew there was a different side to Denver. I had seen bits and pieces of it, from his gentleness with me when doctoring my wounds, to when he told me to close my eyes before he took a man’s life…
There was a soft side to the hardened man before me. Something happened to him. He was guarded and protected the things he loved with ruthlessness.
He and I were the same.
He protected Hallow Ranch and his son.
I protected my mom.
“Work for me,” he said.
I stared at him, waiting for the punchline, because this was obviously a joke. Those gray eyes noted my posture and he spoke again. “I’m serious.”
“Do I look like a ranch hand to you?” I deadpanned. I wasn’t a girly-girl, but I wasn’t a cowgirl either. I knew how a ranch worked, but I didn’t know the first thing about maintaining one.
His lips twitched. That image would be seared into my memory for the rest of my days because that was the closest thing to a real, genuine smile he had ever given me.
“No, but you look like the woman who’s going to help me stop Moonie Pipelines from getting Hallow Ranch.”
Chapter Twenty
Denver
Damnitalltohell, she was even more enchanting after an orgasm.
Her eyes seemed greener, like the deep green forest that surrounded my ranch. Her dark hair was tousled, and I wanted to wrap it around my fist as I sank my cock into her tight, little pussy. Her skin was flushed, and I couldn’t ignore the swell of pride that rose in my chest at the sight.
I’ve had my fair share of woman in my thirty-five years of life.
