Page 27 of Rough Ride

“Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”

No, he didn’t. He didn’t want her to know exactly why he wanted to rip both of Bentley’s arms out of their sockets and beat him over the head with them. It was embarrassing him as a boss and a Dom that he was barely keeping his temper in check.

“I just think he has better things to do.”

“I was talking to him about the festival you have here at the ranch every fall. That’s part of being a half owner.”

With that statement, she folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave him a stony stare. She was ticked off, but he didn’t know why. Worse, she probably thought crossing her arms like that was a form of protection. Instead, it pushed her breasts up so that he could get a better peek at them. That just made him want to see more.

He hadn’t been this out of control with his needs in years.

“Eli.”

He looked up at her face. “What?”

Okay, not very bright but it was the best he could do at. He had been walking around halfcocked and ready for action for the last couple of weeks. Eli figured he was bloody lucky he hadn’t passed out yet.

“I said, do you have an issue with me getting more involved.”

He wanted to scream, yes. But he couldn’t. Because then she would want an explanation of what the hell he was going on about. He wanted her in her room away from him, away from the hands, and strapped to the bed…shit.

He had to stop thinking about that. Knowing she was a sub was tempting him like never before. He didn’t like initiating a sub. It was involved and many times they tended to get attached to their first Dom. Eli was never around for the long haul. Someone like Crysta would be perfect. That is if she wasn’t his business partner.

“I’ve no problem with that, but make sure you’re careful around these men. They could easily take your openness as an invitation.”

He walked passed her then. He needed to get his horse unsaddled and fed before he lost control. If he concentrated on that, Eli wouldn’t think of how she would look on all fours as he slapped her ass with a riding crop.

Fuck.

“Elias St. John, I’m not done with you.”

He heard her footsteps behind him and he wanted to scream. He liked spunk in a woman, but this was getting to be too much.

“Bloody hell, woman. Will you give me a break?”

She stopped marching toward him and just stared.

“I’ve kept my hands off you for two weeks now, but you keep yammering on at me, then I’m going to lose it. Seriously lose it.” He bit out every word, unable to hide his frustration.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

He muttered something—even he wasn’t sure what the hell it was. Then, unable to ignore her, he dropped his horse’s bridle and stalked toward her. Her eyes widened as she started to back up. She came to an abrupt halt when she ran into the wall. He crowded her up against it, placing one hand beside her head.

He pulled his hat off with his free hand and dropped it on the floor, then leaned closer to let her see just what he was talking about. He was no longer halfcocked that was for sure. Surprise brightened her eyes, then, they darkened.

Fuck.

“I know you’re a sub and before you pretend to ask—as if you already didn’t know—you know I’m a Dom. Having you in my house, under my protection, is a little much for me to take. I’ve controlled myself—barely.” That scared him more than anything, and the fact that every night it had been a battle to keep from walking to her room. “I want you more ways than you can even imagine and I can’t deal with fighting. It just makes me fucking horny. Especially since you have that full, sexy mouth.” He stared at her lips then. Unadorned by lipstick or gloss, just natural. All Crysta. “Fuck.”

Finally, he gave into the need that had been building since he first set eyes on her. He slammed his mouth onto hers. At first, she didn’t react. Then, she did, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. The heat of her body, the smell of hay and leather had his head spinning. He wanted her then, right then. He wanted to pull those jeans off her and sink into her tight, wet pussy and lose himself. Right there in the barn up against the wall.

The sound of men approaching had him pulling away. She followed him, moaning her displeasure.

“Crysta, we have to stop.”

She opened her eyes slowly. “What?”

He tried not to be satisfied with the way her eyes had glazed with pleasure. Just knowing that she was as attracted to him as he was to her was only going to make matters worse.

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