He just shrugged. “You’re the one who said you weren’t riding Bess.”

  “Put me down,” she hissed.

  Colt stopped the horse and wound the reins around the saddle horn. Thankful he seemed to be listening to her request, Elise tensed when he grasped her firmly around the waist, then swiftly shifted her until she sat facing forward in front of him on the saddle.

  At his vise-like hold around her body, Elise let out a huff of irritation and threw her foot over the horse so she sat in the saddle in the appropriate manner.

  Retrieving the reins, Colt turned his horse and trotted back to Sam, stopping long enough to grab the black cowboy hat from him and drop it on her head.

  As they headed out to the eastern pastures, Colt kept one arm around her waist. His rock-hard chest pressed against her back and the heat where his body met her rear end felt so natural. Elise immediately stiffened, trying to keep from pressing against him. He was angry. And right now, so was she. He’d made her go out with him. Grrrr!

  When Colt urged Scout into a gallop and she had to allow her body flexibility to move with the horse, Elise gave up trying to stay away from his hard frame. Instead, she removed her hat and held onto it as she leaned into him.

  With the wind blowing in her face and the warm morning sun beating down on her head, she closed her eyes and thrilled in this unique experience of feeling so close to Colt. Even if he didn’t feel the same way, she could imagine he wanted her company just…because.

  After a few minutes of hard riding, Colt slowed Scout and Elise kept her eyes shut, not wanting to break the idyllic dream state she was in. But her heart jerked in her chest and her eyes flew open when Colt clasped her breast in his hand, then rubbed his thumb across her nipple. The bud immediately hardened, pressing against her thin bra.

  Scout stopped and began to eat grass, while Colt ran his fingers under the curve of her breast before gently pinching her nipple. Elise looked around and saw they were in an unoccupied side of the ranch she’d never explored.

  Her gaze traveled to the end of the property where the barbed wire fence stopped and beyond, past the rolling hills to a sprawling log-style ranch house set far back on one of the highest hills.

  “Who lives there?” she asked, her voice sounding more breathless than she intended.

  Colt pinched her nipple again and pressed his lips to the spot behind her ear, then kissed her neck. Elise’s heart skipped to a fast gallop and she almost forgot her question when he finally replied.

  “That’s my home.”

  Surprise rolled through her and she stared at the property, taking in as much detail as she could from such a great distance. “Your home? I’ll bet you have a helluva view—” she started to say but gasped when he dropped his hand to her sex and cupped her body in a totally possessive manner.

  “All I thought about last night was your soft body and the fact you might be out with Josh or some other man instead of me,” he said in a calm, controlled voice as he slowly wound the reins around the saddle’s horn.

  Elise felt the tension in his body, then his hard erection against her backside as he gathered her closer and purposely rubbed against her.

  “That’s how I was all last night, Lise, hard, wanting and pissed. I swear if I’d have gone home with you yesterday, I’d have fucked you until there was never a question of what man you’d be spending your evenings with.”

  The roughness of his words and his intense tone made her heart skip a beat and her breathing turn choppy. Elise let her hat fall to the ground and put her hands on his hard thighs while she turned to look at him. Colt’s mouth landed on hers, aggressive and dominating, his tongue thrusting into her mouth in a mimicry of his words—taking her hard, possessing her. God help her…she wanted to be taken just like that.

  She tried to pulled back, to tell him there wasn’t anyone else, but Colt let out a low growl in his throat and said against her mouth, “No talking, Lise, not right now,” before he stole her breath with another kiss while he clasped her thigh in a firm grip.

  Elise let out a cry of surprise when Colt lifted her in his arms and turned her body sideways on Scout. The horse sidestepped for a second at the change in the weight distribution, but a calm command from Cold had him happily munching on grass once more as Colt settled her in his lap.

  When his lips trailed down her throat, heated and tender, suddenly, she realized that with Colt, the passion he put into his lovemaking reflected his emotions. Colt was showing his feelings through his physical touch and through the depth of his need to be the only man in her life. She wrapped her arms around his neck and knocked his hat to the ground so she could slide her fingers through his hair. Pulling him closer, she kissed his jaw, encouraging him to return his mouth to hers. And when he did, she kissed him with just as much intensity.

  Another low growl erupted from Colt as he slipped his hand between her thighs and cupped her body through her jeans. Elise broke the kiss and cried out in pure bliss as he used the seam on her jeans to his benefit, pressing it against her nub, while he whispered in her ear, “Imagine I’m sliding inside you, taking you against the wall, because honest to God, I’d be too damn horny to make it back to the bed if we were in your apartment right now.”

  The mental image he painted swirled in her mind, making her even wetter. Elise rocked her hips and gripped him close as her body tensed against his hand. Somehow, being up on the horse out in the middle of an open pasture, felt naughty, yet so very natural and right with this man. Colt’s magnetism, his total male virility—he was not a perfect man, but he made her melt like no other man ever had.

  Colt nipped at her neck and tweaked her nipple with his other hand. “Come for me, sweetheart.”

  His huskily whispered endearment made her emotions turn to sentimental mush. Elise pressed closer to his hand, rocking her hips to the rhythm beating inside her body. The creak of the leather saddle caused by her movements, Colt’s clean scent and the smell of leather and outdoors surrounding her only fueled her arousal. She cried out as her body spasmed against the pressure of his fingers against her.

  Chapter Twelve

  When her body stopped trembling Elise sagged back against Colt. With a groan, he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close as he said in gruff voice near her ear, “Lise, the thought of you with another man—”

  “There’s no one else,” she assured him with a chuckle.

  His grip tightened. “Then tell me why you ditched me last night.”

  Elise hesitated. She wanted to ask him why he wouldn’t spend the night with her, but she just couldn’t. Maybe she was afraid his answer would be that he never would. Hoping was better than an answer she might not like. Better to go with the other issue that had been plaguing her.

  She sighed before speaking. “It’s bad enough having your ex around but to learn Bess is usually her ride…” She let her words trail off and shrugged her shoulders, looking away from him.

  “Ahhh.” Colt chuckled as he lifted her leg over Scout’s body to help her face forward in the saddle again before he dismounted and retrieved their hats. Putting his hat on, he handed the other one to Elise. When he climbed up behind her once more, his shoulders continued to shake in amusement.

  Upset that he took her feelings so lightly, Elise jammed the hat down on her head and stiffened when Colt tried to pull her against his chest once more. “I don’t find it amusing, Colt.”

  Colt ignored her rigid stance and pulled her against him anyway as he turned Scout toward the southern pastures. While they rode in silence, Elise stewed. He shouldn’t ignore her feelings. He would be furious if the boot was on the other foot. She knew he would be.

  As they approached the field holding the horses, Colt pushed her hat forward until it dropped down over her eyes.

  “Hey,” she called out as she tried to lift the brim.

  “Leave it down,” he ordered.

  “What?” Her anger rose as she ignored his statement and tried to right the hat once more.

  Colt’s hand landed on the top of the hat, applying pressure. “Leave it.”

  She felt Scout slow underneath them and gave up trying to see until the horse came to a stop.

  When Scout stopped and Colt lifted the hat off her head, Elise turned to him with narrowed eyes. “It’s bad enough you just laughed at me… What was that for?”

  He ignored her angry look and pulled her close. Lowering his chin on her shoulder he stared in front of them saying with a nod, “Look, Lise. What do you see?”

  Confused by the pleased look on his face, Elise turned to stare at the horses in the gated area. Despite her frustration, she smiled as two horses frolicked and nipped at one another, obviously playing. Then her gaze landed on a black horse eating grass.

  Colt straightened and whistled. The horse looked up and faced them, its ears twitching.

  When Elise saw the white patch between the horse’s eyes and nose, excitement made her stomach flutter. “What’s Lightning doing here?”

  “She’s waiting for you to ride her.”

  She heard the grin in his words. Elise jerked her gaze back to Colt as tears gathered in her eyes. “Really?”

  He nodded, his white teeth flashing in a broad smile. “Yep, she’s yours.”

  When he jumped down and held up his hands to help her dismount, she grasped his shoulders. “You mean she’s mine to ride while I’m here?”

  When her feet touched the ground, Colt pulled her close and kissed her forehead. Pulling back he met her gaze. “No, sweetheart, I mean she’s yours for keeps.” He winked. “I put your name on the ownership papers.”

  “Are you sure, Colt? Not that I’m not appreciative, but that’s an expensive gift. Please tell me you bartered some kind of deal to get Lightning?”

  Colt grinned. “I’m a businessman, darlin’. What do you think?”

  Heedless of who might see them, Elise whooped and jumped up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. Cupping his face in her hands, she said, “Thank you,” between each kiss she planted on his lips.

  Colt’s hands slid down to her buttocks and clasped her cheeks through her jeans. “Later you can thank me in other ways,” he said in a suggestive tone before setting her on the ground. Giving her butt a firm swat, he continued, “But for now, go get Lightning saddled and let’s ride.”

  Elise ran over to the fence and retrieved the bridle he’d left for her. She called to Lightning and the horse immediately trotted toward her. Pride surged through him that she was so impatient to see her gift, she didn’t even wait to open the gate, but grabbed the post, bridle in hand, and climbed over the fence. Once the bridle was secure on the horse, she returned to the fence to retrieve the new saddle he’d also left for her.

  As she mounted the horse, a fresh jolt of lust seared though his groin. Damn, he’d never be able to see her sitting astride a horse without thinking about their first time together in her apartment. She’d more than rocked his world!

  Colt leaned on the saddle horn and watched her take Lightning for a trot around the enclosed area. He had to admit, she and that horse were a perfect match from their pitch-black hair to the spirit each female radiated. And the way they rode—perfect harmony.

  Ever since May showed up, Elise had acted different, skittish around him. After yesterday’s rebuff, he walked around feeling totally frustrated. It bothered him a great deal that she’d turned him down and after an hour of denial, he decided he wanted to do something for her. Plus, he thought with a smug grin, trading a stud for Lightning meant he’d eliminated the one thing Josh Kelly couldn’t hold over him—having something Elise wanted. Good thing Josh was at that conference.

  Colt didn’t give a shit if his actions weren’t totally altruistic. When it came to this woman, he’d fight like a junkyard dog to keep her attention…on his terms. So far he’d managed to avoid Elise’s request that he spend the night at her apartment. His self-imposed rule was a different kind of torture, because each night he found it harder and harder to leave her warm body and her bed to go home.

  Urging Scout forward, Colt opened the fence to allow Elise and Lightning to exit.

  “What do you think?” he asked with a grin as she pulled her horse up beside his while he secured the gate.

  “I think I’ve got a faster ride. Care for a race?” She flashed him a smile as she kicked her heels, ducked her head and urged Lightning into a full gallop.

  As he nudged Scout with a squeeze of his knees, Colt laughed at her head start and the knowledge Elise wasn’t beyond a little cheating herself to get what she wanted.

  * * * * *

  Elise let Lightning have free rein and the horse took off, full-throttle. The animal was a pure pleasure to ride, her gait so smooth. She’d never felt so free or happy in her life. The knowledge that Colt truly cared about her that he’d paid attention to her desire to have Lightning and had even put the horse ownership in her name…his gesture melted her heart and made her spirits soar. She’d worry about him never staying a full night another day. Today…ah, today she wanted to enjoy her gift and the man whom she’d begun to think she couldn’t live without.

  Gusts of wind blew around her as she started to slow Lightning down. She held onto her hat as she slowed her horse to an easy trot. Colt joined her, a grin on his face.

  “How’s she runnin’?”

  “Like the fine-tuned engine she is,” Elise replied, pulling on the reins until her horse stopped.

  Colt pulled up beside her, his leg brushing against hers.

  Elise leaned over and placed her hand on his thigh. She met his deep blue gaze, her heart beating hard at his closeness. “Thank you, Colt.”

  He lifted her hand and pulled it to his mouth, kissing her palm before moving his lips to her wrist. “You’re welcome. Seeing your cheeks flushed from that run is reward enough for me.”

  As he leaned over to kiss her, another gust of wind blew around them so hard his hat went flying off.

  Elise glanced up, following Colt’s gaze to the darkening sky.

  “Storm’s blowing in,” he commented as he jumped down to get his hat, then remounted. “We should get back.”

  Nodding her agreement, Elise turned her horse in the direction of the ranch and rode alongside Colt in silence.

  When they were almost to the ranch he stopped to talk to a ranch hand. “Davy, go check the southwest fence’s corner post. It’s starting to show its age. Take Jim and Matt and have them help you temporarily secure that post until this storm blows over. Once the ground is dry again, we’ll replace it.”

  As they made their way between the main ranch house and the stables, Rick rode out of the stables and stopped to talk to Colt.

  “After the bull incident…I’ve got this feeling. Dunno why,” he commented leaning on his saddle horn and narrowing his gaze at the swirling dark clouds above them. “Guess it’s the electricity in the air, but I wouldn’t put it past Jackson to try something today, so I want to be out on the range for this one.”

  “Out in the open? In the middle of a storm?” Elise asked, surprised.

  Colt cast a glance her way. “Don’t you know just how tough Texan men are, darlin’?”

  When Elise tossed him an are-you-nuts expression, his shoulders shook with laughter. “We have a few small houses, shacks really, but places to wait out the worst if you’re caught out in a storm.”

  “Ah, I see.” She grinned, nodding her head.

  Rick touched his hat and dipped his head in her direction in a show of respect. As he walked his horse past hers, his gaze dropped to Lightning. “Nice addition to the ranch.”

  “The mare’s Elise’s,” Colt commented.

  She grinned, patting her horse’s neck. “I’m sure Lightning will be just as much a fixture around the Lonestar as Scout and Bess are.”

  “Take care out there, Rick,” she called after the foreman as he trotted off.

  “He’ll be fine,” Nan called from the porch as she leaned on one of the columns and stared out at the range, a faraway look in her eyes. When the wind kicked up once more, she looked at Colt and rubbed her upper arms. “It’s gonna be a doozy, Colt. I feel it in my bones.”

  “I know,” he sighed as he reached out and threaded his fingers with Elise’s. “I’m going back out with Rick. Why don’t you go spend some time with Nan?” He looked at Nan and grinned as he continued, “She’s never liked storms much.”

  “Harumph,” Nan snorted. “Mind your manners, Colt. You’re never too old for a good tannin’.” Winking at Elise, she continued, “But I won’t turn away some good company for a spell.”

  Elise returned the older woman’s friendly smile. “Let me put Lightning—”

  Just as she spoke, a bolt of lightning streaked across the darkened sky, making the tiny hairs on her arms stand on end.

  Rumbling thunder quickly followed at the same time Cade and Mace came trotting out of the main stable, wearing their Stetsons and orange rain slickers.

  “Ready for some fun, bro?” Mace asked as he tossed a walkie-talkie and then a folded-up rain slicker to Colt, his eyes alight. Clicking his walkie-talkie, he spoke into it, saying, “Breaker, breaker, this is ‘the Studmeister’, you copy?”

  Colt gave his middle brother a can-you-believe-this-wiseass look to which Cade lifted his own walkie-talkie to his lips, clicked the button, and said in a low, droll voice, “I think he’s gettin’ a little too into this, don’t you,” he finished with a deadpan expression, “Little Mustang?”

  Colt’s shoulders shook with laughter as he clipped his walkie-talkie to his hip and said, “Save me from smartass brothers.”

  Elise grinned and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. She whispered in his ear, “Ah, you know you wish you could pitch a tent in the backyard and camp out in this storm like you did when you were kids.”

  Before she straightened in her saddle, Colt clasped his hand around her neck and whispered back, “Yeah, but don’t ever tell these two wiseasses that or I’ll lose all the respect I’ve gained over the years.”