Page 6 of The Wrangler

Jesse stepped into the warm Texas air and let out a slow breath. Home. Finally.

Keely strolled beside him, rolling her suitcase with an effortless grace, oblivious—or maybe just indifferent—to the way his patience was wearing dangerously thin.

He had spent the last several days in her orbit and the last seventeen hours or so in close cover, enduring her teasing, her effortless charm, her mouth. The woman had a way of making his blood heat with nothing more than a well-placed glance, and worse? He was pretty sure she knew it.

He ran his hand down his face, reminding himself why he was here. Not because he wanted to be. Forcing his thoughts away from dangerous territory—wondering what it would be like to see Keely, laced into that sapphire blue corset of hers with thematching booty shorts, on her knees, submitting—not because he forced her, but because she wanted to. If it ever happened, he would replace those booty shorts with a skimpy thong.

Jesse’s groin tightened—his cock hardening and pressing against the fly of his jeans. What might it be like to have her unbutton his fly with her teeth, letting his cock out to play and then using her mouth to get some relief?Jesus, Bryant. Get your head on straight.He shoved the thought down, hard, and focused on the task at hand.

“Your car service on the way?”

Keely stopped, tilting her head at him with the same infuriating amusement she’d carried all damn day. “Excuse me?”

Jesse crossed his arms. “You got two choices, darlin’. Either you call for a town car, and I follow, or you ride with me. Either way, I’m not letting you leave here alone.”

Keely tapped a manicured finger against her chin, considering. “So let me get this straight—you’re giving me the illusion of choice, but really, you’re just bossing me around?”

Jesse arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Pretty much. It seems you’re starting to catch on.”

She huffed out a laugh. “I love when men try to tell me what to do.”

Jesse’s lips twitched. “Funny, because last I checked, you don’t listen worth a damn.”

Keely took a step closer, narrowing the space between them. “That’s because most men say nothing worth listening to, so I ignore them.”

Jesse held her gaze, refusing to let her bait him. She smelled like vanilla and something sweet, something that shouldn’t have been enticing but had his muscles locking tight all the same.

Finally, she sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll ride with you.”

“Smart choice.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get used to it.”

Jesse took her suitcase without asking and led her to his black pickup. If she was going to ride with him, she was going to do it his way. He tossed her bag in the bed of the truck before opening the passenger door for her.

Keely paused, arching an eyebrow of her own. “Are you going to strap me in too?”

Jesse leaned against the door frame, lowering his voice. “You really want me to answer that?”

For the first time since they’d landed, she faltered. Just for a second. Jesse caught the way her pupils dilated, the slight hitch in her breath. He had her. And they both damn well knew it.

Keely cleared her throat and slid inside the truck, crossing her legs like she wasn’t the least bit affected. He wondered what he’d find if he shoved his hands between her legs. Jesse shut the door, shaking his head as he walked around to the driver’s side.

This woman was going to ruin him.

They drove in silence for a while, the city lights flashing past the windows as they made their way through San Antonio.

Keely leaned against the window, fingers tapping idly against her knee, watching the skyline.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” she said eventually.

Jesse didn’t take his eyes off the road. “Do what?”

“Babysit me.”

Jesse let out a short laugh. “This ain’t babysitting, sweetheart. It’s making sure you don’t get yourself into trouble.”

Keely turned her head toward him, her gaze sharp. “And what kind of trouble do you think I get into?”

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