Page 65 of Whiskey and Wildfire

With a cry of Dakota’s name, I came undone. Waves of pleasure crashed over me as I spilled my seed between our bodies. Dakota groaned, burying his face in my neck as my muscles clenched around him. A few more erratic thrusts and he followed me over the edge, his cock pulsing deep inside me as he climaxed. A familiar heat filled my belly, and I groaned in delight. No matter how many times he did that to me, I’d never get used to how good it felt.

We lay there for several long moments, our bodies intertwined and slick with sweat. The storm outside had quieted to a gentle patter of rain against the windows. Dakota’s weightpressed me into the mattress, but I reveled in the feeling of being so completely surrounded by him.

Slowly, he lifted his head to meet my gaze. His dark eyes were soft, filled with an emotion I’d never seen there before. Without a word, he leaned in to kiss me tenderly. It was a kiss full of promise, of love and devotion. I returned the kiss with equal passion, pouring all of my feelings into it.

As we finally parted, Dakota carefully withdrew from me, both of us groaning softly at the loss of connection. He rolled to his side, pulling me against his chest. I nestled into his warmth, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat.

“Why is that always so…” Dakota trailed off, seemingly at a loss for words.

“Amazing?” I finished for him, tilting my head to press a kiss to his jaw.

He chuckled softly, the rumble vibrating through his chest. “Yeah.” He kissed the side of my neck softly. “I never thought I could have this...have you.”

I propped myself up on an elbow, looking down at him. In the dim light, I could see the vulnerability in his eyes, the lingering shadows of his past. “You have me,” I said softly, tracing my fingers along his jawline. “All of me, Dakota. For as long as you want.”

His eyes searched mine, a mix of wonder and lingering disbelief in their depths. “I want forever,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

My heart swelled at his words. I leaned down, pressing my forehead against his. “Then forever it is,” I murmured, sealing the promise with a gentle kiss.

Dakota’s arms tightened around me, pulling me flush against his chest. I could feel the rapid beating of his heart, matching the rhythm of my own. We lay there in comfortable silence, listeningto the soft patter of rain outside and simply basking in each other’s presence.

After a while, Dakota’s fingers began lightly caressing my back. “Logan,” he said softly, his voice hesitant. “What are we gonna do about the ranch?”

I just pulled him closer. “I don’t know. But I won’t let them use you.”

“Logan you can’t let this place go under just for me.”

“I can,” I said firmly. “And I will. I won’t let you become a roadside attraction.”

I felt Dakota smile, although it was short-lived. “Is there any hope of getting a new investor?”

“Lucas offered to try,” I replied. “But it didn’t sound hopeful.” I tried to hide how much it hurt to think about, but my voice shook, nonetheless. “I think… I think we might need to start looking for a new place to stay. Once the foreclosure starts, we won’t have that long to sell off things and relocate.”

“As long as I’m with you,” Dakota said. “That’ll be home.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “I love you, Logan.”

I let out a long sigh, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. “I love you too, Kota.”

Chapter 25

Dakota

I’d been standing outside Logan’s office for quite a while now. The moment we’d woken up that morning, he was out of bed, saying he needed to call the investors for the ranch. All three of them were still at their hotel, awaiting our reply to their proposed contract. I knew Logan was going to give them an ultimatum, but I couldn’t bear to be in the room when he did it.

My stomach churned as I paced the floor. I was too worked up to eat breakfast or touch the coffee my mom had brought me from the kitchen. A tiny spark of hope clung to my insides. Would they still want to invest even if I wasn’t going to be their token Cherokee? It seemed like a long shot, but worth a try, nonetheless. Maybe, by some miracle, they’d still be interested.

I heard Logan’s voice rise and fall through the closed door, his words muffled but his tone clear. He was laying out our terms, firm and unyielding. My heart raced as I strained to catch any hint of the investors’ response. But I couldn’t hear anything.

A few minutes passed before I heard the creak of the office chair. Suddenly, the door swung open. Logan stood there, his tall frame filling the doorway, his green eyes intense. I searched his face for any sign of the outcome, but his expression was unreadable.

“Well?” I managed to croak out.

Logan ran a hand through his short sandy hair, a habit I’d seen a thousand times when he was stressed. “They’re thinking it over,” he said quietly. “They want a few hours to discuss.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. It wasn’t a ‘no,’ at least not yet. But it wasn’t a ‘yes’ either.

“What exactly did you tell them?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Logan leaned against the doorframe, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. “I laid it all out, just like we discussed. Told them we appreciate their interest, but that we won’t be using your heritage as a selling point. I made it clear that if they want to invest, it has to be based on the merits of the ranch itself.”

---