Roped And Ready

Chapter

One

Becca Dalton ignored everything else as she threw

her suitcase on the colorful quilt in her cabin at the Quick Silver Ranch and

dug out her sneakers. She needed to get outside. Now. Dispensing with her high

heels, she strode from the cabin that would be home for the next nine days.

Turning right, she found the trail and began

walking at a brisk pace. The fresh air brushed along her skin, birds sang in

the trees and leaves rustled in the light breeze.

Her steps slowed. There was no need to be in a

hurry here. Pausing, she drew in a deep breath and let it out.

Scents came to life. Clean air, not city air. Her

shoulders dropped a bit as the tension of the last twenty-four hours began to

melt away. She didn’t have a clue where the trail led and at this point she

didn’t care.

Too much had happened in the last twenty-four

hours, from finding her fiancé in bed with her boss, calling her wedding off,

quitting her job, and setting up an interview in ten days for her dream job.

Becca wasn’t sure if she should be celebrating or

crying. Nothing made sense, including this trip that her best friend, Angie,

convinced her to take.

Hell, Angie had paid for it, saying it was a

pre-wedding present, but now it was a chance for her to find herself and start

over.

But a dude ranch? Which was less than a two-hour

drive from San Francisco? A small laugh escaped her lips. While it would have

been a romantic trip with her ex-fiancé, Alan, she was still surprised Angie

had purchased this trip. It wasn’t like Alan was the outdoor type; he couldn’t

stand the sight of an ant in his apartment.

Her fingers went to the pocket of her designer

suit. Damn, no cell phone. Rules, she was told at check-in. And maybe it was a

good thing. Alan couldn’t call begging for forgiveness, not that she’d forgive

that lying, cheating rat. It was bad enough he cheated, but with her boss no

less.

A week to chill out, explore nature and not worry

about anyone or anything. Becca only hoped she could do that, she wasn’t one to

laze around.

A strange noise caught her attention and she

slowed but continued to follow the path as it turned. She realized what the

sound was—a horse.

A wistful sigh escaped her. She always wanted to

learn how to ride. She took in the fenced-in ring, and the man standing next to

the brown horse moved closer.

Oh, what a man. Her gaze roamed over his midnight

hair, past broad shoulders, down legs encased in denim to black cowboy boots. Reversing

course, she settled on his large hands and long fingers as they stroked over

the horse. And Becca wondered how it would feel to have those hands on her

body, her breasts, to have those long digits in her pussy, pumping in and out,

bringing her to climax.

Hell, she wasn’t dead, only broken hearted. Or

was she? Alan hadn’t broken her heart, only bruised her pride—and that should

say something. Like maybe she’d know all along Alan wasn’t the man for her. She’d

never been emotionally invested in their relationship.

The man’s voice was low as he spoke to the horse,

but there was something familiar about that deep timbre, as if she’d heard it

before. Without thought her gaze traveled back down to the finest ass she’d

seen a while, the material of his jeans caressing him when he shifted his

stance.

“Would you like to meet Rose?”

Becca’s heart jumped and her gaze snapped up to

his face. Darn, if the face didn’t look familiar, too. But she couldn’t place

it.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she said.

His blue eyes locked on her. Her nipples hardened

and her nerves tingled. She’d never had a reaction to a man like this before,

not just from one look.

He turned and she noticed a hint of a five o’clock

shadow, a long but slightly crooked nose and thick lashes any woman would kill

for. His raven hair had a wind-tossed look to it.

“Hop over the fence and I’ll introduce you to

Rose.”

Hop over? Yeah, right. “How does one hop over

this fence?”

Masculine laughter swept over her skin and she

shivered. Her breath caught in her throat when he strode over to her.

“It’s easy,” he said once he was standing in

front of her. “Put your left foot on the lower board.”

Becca did as he said. “Now.” His tone became

softer, almost intimate. “Stand up and throw your right leg over the top.”

“Isn’t there another way?” she asked, her throat

tight as she glanced around for a gate.

“This is much more fun.” He took another step

closer and she caught a woodsy scent mixed with pure masculine heat. “I’ll

help.” His hands closed around her waist.

A squeal left her lips as she pushed up and he

lifted her. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he lifted her over the fence.

“There. Wasn’t that easier than walking around?”

He set her on the ground.

Becca tilted her head back and gazed into his

twinkling blue eyes when he gave a chuckle, her body went on alert. She knew

that laugh. Tyler Carson. The bad boy of Jackson High. And her college lover.

Her knees went weak and her clit throbbed.

Her hand almost started to check her hair, but

she quelled the impulse. Tyler had seen her tousled look after making love to

her for half the night. And if he was still single…Oh, man how was she going to

survive a week with him around?

****

Tyler Carson couldn’t prevent the grin that

spread across his face. While he was aware new guests were arriving today, this

was a surprise. A very pleasant surprise. As he lived and breathed, Becca

Dalton had come back into his life.

He hadn’t seen her since he left San Francisco

State for Humboldt. While she was only a few inches shorter than is

six-foot-three frame, she seemed tiny to him. And she weighted next to nothing

when he lifted her over the fence.

His body went on alert the second she walked into

the clearing, as most guests didn’t venture to the stables until at least the

second or third day after their arrival. When he caught the scent of jasmine,

his cock hardened in response. The reaction had caught him off guard.

Even now he was having trouble making his body

obey his commands. He needed to remove his hands from her waist before he did

something foolish like carry her into the stable, throw her into a freshly

bedded stall, and thrust himself deep into pussy.

He had to behave. If she was here then she must

be a guest, and with a partner. Guests were off limits, and he didn’t mess

around with other men’s women.

Fighting his instincts, he released her and

stepped back. “It’s been a long time, Becca.” Too long.

“Good to see you again, Tyler.”

“Ah, so you do remember me?” He sauntered back to

Rose, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, but his fingers itched to

remove the clip holding her light brown hair to see it tumble around her

shoulders. His lips tingled with anticipation of tasting her rosy red mouth.

“How could I forget the bad boy of Jackson High,

and the captain and quarterback of the champion San Francisco State football

team?”

Tyler nodded, and wondered why she didn’t mention

him as a former lover. In the past he was all those things. Now he was just a

man carving out a living doing a job he loved.

“Have you ever been around a horse, Becca?”

“Not unless you count a pony when I was ten.”

“When you’re ready, come to my side.” He’d let

her decide in case she was afraid of the horse. “I’ll introduce you to Rose,

Becca.”

Why did he keep saying her name? Maybe because

somewhere inside, he couldn’t believe she was here. He wanted to pull her into

his arms, to taste her sweet mouth and remind her he was her first lover.

Reining in his libido, he fought to remember why

people came to Quick Silver Ranch. Was she married? Glancing at her hand—no

ring. But she had to be here with someone. Singles never came to the ranch.

His eyes narrowed as he took in her tailored,

dark blue suit. Dressed for success, his ex would have called it. Another

reason he should keep his distance. City women were not for him.

Heat radiated off her, soaking into his skin when

she slid next to him. Tyler inhaled and caught her jasmine scent once again.

Memories rushed back and he let them soak into his psyche, reliving the good

times they had together.

“Rose is a beautiful horse.” Becca’s voice was

soft with a little bit of hesitation in it.

Forcing his mind back to his task, Tyler reached

down and snagged Becca’s hand. “She’s a beautiful four-year-old and has

impeccable bloodlines.” He could feel Becca trembling beneath his touch. Was

she afraid of the mare or him?

Raising his arm, he placed her palm against the horse’s

shoulder, his palm covering the back of her soft hand. “Stroke her back and

forth with easy gentle movements.”

Images of him stroking Becca to climax as he did

years ago came to mind. Would she still make the same little whimpers today as

she did then? Or would she be more vocal?

Rose snorted and Becca jumped away, slamming into

him.

“Easy.” His arms automatically slipped around her

waist, anchoring her to him.

She fit. There were so few women who really fit

against him as well as she did. It had been like that in the past as well.

“Did I hurt her?” Becca asked.

“No, she liked it. She was only blowing out some

air. Go ahead, pet her again.” Keeping her anchored against him, he watched her

hand raise, and she patted Rose again.

His cock jumped as he remembered those same

fingers stroking him, up and down, varying the pressure as she went from base

to tip. His cock twitched. This is not good. He shifted his stance.

“She’s very soft.”

“I brush her every day. It keeps her coat shiny

and smooth.”

“It must be nice to be brushed every day.” There

was a wistful tone in her voice, and Tyler almost told her he’d brush her every

day if she’d give him the chance.

“Rose likes it.” He glanced at Becca’s hair. She

had it bundled up in an uncomfortable looking bun. He wondered if it was as

long as it had been in college, or longer? When they made love would it brush

against his skin like before? The silky strands teasing his chest and his cock.

He almost reached up and removed the pins to see,

but at the last second he stopped himself. There had been beautiful women at

the ranch before, but he’d never been tempted to make a pass at any of them.

Even when they’d indicated they were open to having him as a lover. With every

ounce of strength he had, he made himself release her waist and step away.

“Who would I see about taking riding lessons

while I’m here?” Becca asked.

“I can teach you.” Oh yeah, his cock shouted in

approval. He’d teach her to ride all right. “After dinner, we’ll set something

up.”

You’re digging yourself one hell of a hole,

Tyler, he mused before glancing down at his watch. “Speaking of dinner, I need

to put Rose back into her stall and clean up.”

“Yes, of course.” She slid away from him, and

Tyler missed her already. Get a grip, man, she’s just a woman.

“I’ll help you back over the fence.” He escorted

her to the railing and helped her climb back over, his body protesting every

second.

“Thank you, Tyler.” She tilted her head and

looked up at him. “I’ll see you around.” The sway of her hips as she strode away

made him want her even more.

“It’s impossible,” he muttered.

****

Becca thought about Tyler on her way back to her

cabin. What were the odds of running into him? Astronomical, but that didn’t

stop her from thinking about how delicious he looked. More filled out than in

their college days, more handsome, more muscular and damned if he didn’t make

her panties wet.

But she had to wonder if she was acting on the

rebound. Yes, finding Alan in bed with her boss was difficult, so was calling

off her wedding and quitting her job, yet it caused her to make decisions she’d

been putting off for a while now. Decisions that needed to be made by the end

of the week.

She’d known Alan wasn’t quite the right man for

her, but she’d gone ahead with the engagement party and the planning of the

wedding.

A gentle smile curved her lips. The surprise on

Alan’s face when she calmly took her ring off, placed it on his dresser and

told him the wedding was off and for him to have fun.

They would have made each other miserable. She’d

been lonely, came the other realization. She picked Alan because he was a good

companion and safe, but as a lover? Hell, they’d never slept together. And

after Thursday she knew why.

Finding herself back at her cabin door without

realizing how she got there, Becca decided she needed to quit thinking so much.

Thinking was what got her engaged to Alan in the first place, and her brain

wasn’t exactly doing a great job with men. Maybe she should follow her body’s

desires.

Tyler. Her body desired Tyler, and she did too.

Glancing at the clock, she had an hour to get ready for dinner and make some

choices. Did she follow her mind or her desires?

****

At six on the nose, Becca strode into the dining

room of the main ranch house. She couldn’t believe how quickly time was

slipping by now that she’d come to some conclusions about her life.

Pasting a smile on her face, she greeted the six

people milling around the table. They all looked like couples, and Becca fought

against squirming. Her stomach tightened and she had to remind herself that she

didn’t need to feel uncomfortable because she was single. There was nothing

wrong with it.

She was about to pull a chair out and sit when

her nerves tingled, just like they had this afternoon.

“Allow me,” said a husky male voice.

Tyler. Only his voice could make her pussy cream

this way.

“Thank you.” Her words were breathless as he held

the chair for her.

“You are quite welcome.” His breath brushed

against her ear, causing a shiver of excitement to travel through her body.

He was arousing her with his voice, something

that hadn’t happened in a long time, not since she was twenty and with Tyler.

He took his place on her left, at one end of the table. She noticed another man

at the other end, grinning as the other people were seated. He was dressed much

like Tyler, in jeans and a western button down shirt.

“Welcome everyone,” said the man at the opposite

end of the table. “I’m Jared, and at the other end is my business partner,

Tyler. We want to welcome you to Quick Silver Ranch.”

Jared glanced around the table, his gaze

lingering on the empty chair beside Becca for a moment. “If there is anything

you need while you’re here, all you need to do is ask. We will do our best to

provide you with whatever you desire.”

Laughter flowed into the air, but Becca wasn’t

sure why everyone was laughing.

“I can’t wait to try out what you’re providing,”

said the man sitting to Tyler’s right, which produced more laughter.

“We’ll do our best to keep up with you. Tonight

is a chance for everyone to become acquainted, for tomorrow, your adventure

starts.”

As if on cue, a large man walked into the dining

room carrying bowls and platters of food. The smell of roasted beef and fresh

bread caused her mouth water. When was the last time she ate? Last night?

Plates were filled, and everyone began to

introduce themselves over the wonderful food. Becca found she was right—the

others were all couples, and from different locations, and one couple had been

to the ranch before.

Then all eyes were on her. “I’m Becca. My best

friend gave me this trip to the ranch and I’m looking forward to the

experience.”

“Is your partner joining you later?” asked Jared.

“Partner?” Her gaze sought out Tyler’s before

returning to Jared’s. “I’m here alone.”

Silence descended. Becca drew in a deep breath,

her gaze still on Jared’s face. Was there something wrong?

Yes, there was. She could see the concern in

Jared’s eyes, and felt it in the air. Her gaze traveled around the table to

each person and each face held some element of surprise or shock.

Oh, no. The food in her stomach turned into a

lead ball. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Becca swallowed trying to stop the

panic that welled up in her. She wanted to have this week away from the stress

and tension, to explore being reunited with Tyler, and now…

“Excuse me.” Pushing back her chair, she fled

from the room, all the while fighting back tears.

****

Tyler rose, then dropped back down onto his

chair. He couldn’t go after her, not until he and Jared talked. But a part of

him was ecstatic she was alone on this trip, this meant he didn’t have any

competition for her time, regardless of the problems it could cause.