Tangled in Divine(Divine Creek Ranch 14)(56)

Julián started out tender and thoughtful but she could tell he liked to take charge when he was fucking and she was just fine with that. She loved his intensity, craved it in fact, and knew he would never push her farther than she wanted to go.

He’d gazed into her eyes the night before, lying with her sprawled over him after rolling to his back, their bodies still connected. He’d brushed her messy hair from her face and held her cheeks in gentle hands, just staring at her with his half-lidded dark eyes. Her heart had sped up in its rhythm as he held her silently, speaking volumes with those eyes. Drawing her lips to his, he’d continued communicating to her through his kisses. His kisses asked her to stay. She wanted to say yes but couldn’t.

Chris was a sweet, cautious lover and so careful to never hurt her. She wondered if he’d always hold back. Not that she was complaining about his wariness because she still needed patience taking his big cock inside her. The night before, he’d taken her missionary style with such slow tenderness that she’d thought her heart would explode as she came. Tears had prickled in her eyes afterward but she hadn’t been sure why.

She’d developed a deeper understanding of what Grace and Teresa had meant about Chris being “woobie” material. When he was making love to her, especially in that position, the cares of the world were blocked out. He was a great kisser too, melting her bones, and making her feel like somehow everything would be all right just with the sheer strength of his presence.

A shrill whistle from a distance pierced the air, interrupting her fantasy and drawing her eyes toward the Cook Ranch next door. She grinned when she saw Julián near the barn, waving at her, and she waved back. Chris came out too and blew her a kiss. She cracked up and felt her cheeks heat when he flexed his muscles for her and then did a little jiggling dance and showed her his tight denim-clad butt. She waved again at them as they went back to work and sighed as she looked down at her dusty cowboy boots. She breathed through the ache in her chest as she thought of them both and the things they did to her…for her. She was kidding herself if she thought that what they had was just great sex.

To top it off, they never argued or questioned the fact that she had to leave in early March.

“Well, Miss Henderson, looks to me like you’ve got a job for the next two months. You checked out with flying colors. Matter of fact, after I told him what all the job entailed, Caughlin McIntyre said that if I didn’t hire you I was a damned fool. He was a little surprised that you were in Divine though. Said something about you starting a new career at home in Colorado on your family’s ranch there.”

Gwen nodded as she dusted her hands off on her blue jeans and jumped down from the tailgate and shook hands with him, utterly relieved. “I need to call him and Abigail. Our family had a financial setback and I need to help get the ranch back on its feet.”

“Do what you gotta do in tough times, right? I’d be happy to have your help here. Caughlin said you were good with horses and suggested that if I had a horse half-trained for barrel racing that I couldn’t do much better than having you work with her.”

“Joaquin and Angel Martinez mentioned that your daughter had a quarter horse and that she was barrel racing.”

Mr. Wilson nodded. “‘Was’ being the operative word. She competed in 4-H when she was in school until she went to college. She became a nurse and went to South America as a medical missionary a few months ago.”

“They’d mentioned something about that.”

“So now I have her horse to take care of. She won a few ribbons here and there with her, but with her lifestyle now there’s no reason to keep Tutti on. If you could train her I’m sure that would increase her value and bring a better price when I sell her. I’d be happy to pay your going rate.”

They discussed the horse, which turned out to be a gorgeous five-year-old blue roan mare, about fifteen hands high, with a lot of spirit. Wilbur took Tutti from her paddock outside her stall and walked with her on a lead rope to the corral behind the barn. After giving Tutti a once-over and watching how she behaved on the halter and lead rope, Gwen told him what she could do and how much she’d charge, lowballing her quote since he was really helping her out by offering her the job.

Mr. Wilson agreed to her price, explained what she’d earn for ranch-sitting, and then showed her around the place. “You sure you’d be okay with keeping watch on this place full-time by yourself? I wouldn’t expect you to be here twenty-four seven, obviously, but it can get pretty lonely out here.”