Page 17 of The Rancher's Wedding Betrayal
He had called her...love.
And that...
That was his answer right there.
To why a womanizer like him had yet to take her virginity.
Because even if he didn't know it yet...
Eve had a feeling her former stepbrother was starting to have feelings for her.
And it was the same kind of feelings that she now realized she had for him...from the moment they met.
Chapter Five
OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, Eve found herself settling into a routine at the Ferguson ranch, one that increasingly involved Hunter in ways she hadn’t expected.
Each morning began with coffee on the back porch. The first few days, she’d sat alone, watching the sun climb over the distant hills. But by the fourth day, Hunter had joined her, newspaper in hand, his presence a silent acknowledgment of something shifting between them.
They rarely spoke during these morning rituals, with Eve still groggy from sleep, and Hunter focused on ranch business. But even so...these quiet, wordless moments together mattered. And they made her hope more than ever that someday soon, he would realize the truth about his feelings for her.
As for the evenings, most of it were spent in Hunter's study, with him still working behind his desk...and training her to help him with the ranch, ever since she had shyly expressed her interest in the marketing side of things.
And after that, well...
Sometimes they’d part at their respective bedroom doors with nothing more than a brief kiss. Other nights, desire would flare suddenly between them, and they’d barely make it to one of their rooms before clothes were being shed, hands grasping, mouths hungry.
Still, true to his word, Hunter never took that final step. He’d bring her to ecstasy with his hands, his mouth, but whenever she reached for him, desire making her blind to the consequences, it would be Hunter himself who'd redirect her. And while she was grateful for his self-control, there was also a part of her that couldn't help but wonder...
Was it easy for Hunter to control himself...because he didn't want her as much as she wanted him?
HUNTER SURPRISED HERone evening by taking her out for dinner, and joining them at the restaurant were none other than Hilary and her billionaire husband Devon Montgomery. To say that she was shocked and happy to see them was an understatement but what had Eve blinking back furious tears was when Hunter gruffly proposed a toast to the other couple.
"Thank you for being instrumental in bringing back Eve to my life."
For the rest of the evening, Eve couldn’t stop stealing glances at Hunter, trying to reconcile this new version of him with the often-aloof and ruthlessly strict stepbrother she once knew him to be. He had really changed, and in light of this, surely, the least she could do was, well...
Eve struggled to calm her nerves as she found herself knocking on his bedroom door late that night.
"Eve?" Hunter's gaze narrowed at her. "Is anything wrong?"
"No, nothing..." Oh, this was harder than she thought it would be.
"What is it?"
"I..."
"Decided to give your virginity to me before marriage?"
The blunt question surprised a laugh out of her. “No."
"A pity."
At least he was honest, she thought ruefully.
"Can I come in?" she asked nervously.
Hunter stepped aside, allowing her to enter the sanctuary of his bedroom. She’d never been in here before, but it was exactly as she’d imagined. Masculine and elegant, with dark wood furniture and crisp white bedding.
