Page 44 of Rugged

Alarm once more spread through me. My wolf couldn’t take her tears, not for any reason.

“Why does that make you cry?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It just feels like…like a door I was always barred from entering just opened, and I walked through it.”

My brow furrowed because I had no idea what that meant. “That’s a good thing, right?”

She laughed and brought her palm to my cheek. “It’s a good thing. This is good. You’re so good. I’m… having the time of my life.”

The time of her life. That sounded like a wild fling, not fate. But I’d take it for now.

For tonight, it was enough.

I could work on forever tomorrow.

20

EMMA

When we walkedinto Cody’s Saloon the next night, I wished I had grabbed a pair of Lyssa’s cowboy boots from her clothes at the Chapman ranch. Obviously, she hadn’t needed them in Ibiza. I was in a jean skirt and fitted blouse, but my sandals didn’t look the part.

Johnny didn’t let me get far today after our wild sexy times last night.

Even though we’d come to Wolf Ranch because he had to work, he said Rob and Wes, the ranch foreman who I hadn’t met yet, had given him a couple days off to spend with me.

I wanted to protest–to shrink back into the wallpaper and not cause any ripples–but I remembered that I wasLyssa here, and Lyssa loved being the center of attention. Making ripples. Having people change their plans for her.

So I drank it up. Drank up Johnny’s attention, which he lavished me with.

Not leaving the bunkhouse all day was fine by me. We ate–who knew Johnny could cook a mean omelet?–and napped and had lots and lots of sex.

I lost count of the number of orgasms he wrung from me.

And the places where we did it besides the bed. The shower. The vanity in the bathroom. The kitchen counter. The couch. The other couch. Oh, and walls. Lots and lots of walls.

By the late afternoon, I was a little sore. Okay, a lot sore, but in the best way possible. When Colton texted Johnny and said everyone was headed to a bar called Cody’s Saloon for dinner and drinks after, we agreed to join them. My vagina needed a break.

We were late because when Johnny saw me in this skirt, he got on his knees, lifted it, and licked me until I came one more time.

I looked around the packed bar. If there was a quintessential western saloon look, this was it. Country music. Wood paneling, a mix of mounted animal heads and neon beer signs, a glossy bar that ran along one entire wall and a mechanical bull. I’d never seen onebefore except in movies and… wow. A woman was riding it, arm flung over her head, laughing and hollering as she rocked in the saddle.

I couldn’t help but grin.

I smiled and waved at Marina, Colton, Rob, and Willow, who had pushed a number of high-tops together in a corner and were holding court with a crowd of other couples.

“That’s the Wolf Ranch crowd.” Johnny escorted me over, his hand at my lower back. Was it just me, or did it seem like he was…proudto show me off?

He slapped shoulders or bumped fists with all the guys there. “Hey everyone. This is Lyssa, my beautiful m–hot date.”

I tilted my face up to his. “What were you going to say?” I couldn’t think of a descriptor of me started with an M.

He flashed that lopsided grin. “M….magnificent girlfriend. Can I call you that yet?”

Warmth filled my chest. Again, I noticed the urge in myself to draw back and reject the attention, but why should I? After two days, I knew he was boyfriend material. Why would I not believe he could feel the same way? Did I think I wasn’t special enough for someone to fall for me so soon?

Screw that. Lyssa knew she was special. I could embody that energy too, for a change.

“Lyssa, this is Boyd, Rob’s and Colton’s brother, and an international rodeo champ, and his wife Audrey. She’s an OB/GYN.”

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