Page 18 of Belonging to the Rancher

A wife.

This was just sex.

Clarissa was his employee.

And Axe knew if he wasn’t careful, he was going to fuck everything up. He wasn’t good with words or with feelings. He didn’t know what he was going to do.

All he knew was that he didn’t want Clarissa to leave, not now, not ever.

Chapter Eight

Several days later, Clarissa watched as Axe worked the yard. Dolly and Susie were playing around his feet, and he looked the same as every other day, but she couldn’t help feeling there was something different about him. It wasn’t that he was smiling, or perhaps he was. There was not a harshness to his face.

The past few days had been a whirlwind of adventure. Her body, even though they hadn’t been together since that morning, she still felt his touch all over. She loved his hands, his mouth, and his whole body as he surrounded her.

She was starting to love mornings, even the early rising. Axe always had his arms wrapped around her, and she felt so protected, so safe. She loved it when he kissed her neck and flicked his tongue across her pulse. There was so much she adored about him.

Running her hands down her apron, she nibbled her lip, trying to think of anything that could stop her from thinking about her own thoughts, mainly love.Lovewas such a strong word. She needed to start thinking in terms oflike. She liked Axe and his hands on her body. But then, that wasn’t the same—likewasn’t a strong enough word.

You’re in love with him.

Clarissa forced herself to step away from the window and go to the stove, to stir the pot of spaghetti sauce. It was a very basic dinner today, as she had forgotten to get anything else out of the freezer, and she had some leftover ground beef. Not a lot, but enough to make a meal for two. She loved making large batches of food so they could go in the freezer.

As she stirred her sauce, she felt that need rush through her. For the longest time, it had been her and her mother. She knew her parents had wanted more children, but that had never happened. It was always one of those wishes that hadn’t come true. Then her father had passed away, leaving just her and her mother.

One of her many wishes and desires was to have a large family. Axe’s ranch house had four more bedrooms, which were not occupied. There were beds not made, and she cleaned them regularly to keep them dust-free.

She couldn’t deny that her relationship—if she could even call it that—with Axe had made that yearning start to develop again. In the back of her mind, she could see little children running around the kitchen, or hear their laughter or even their screams, as she stirred a large pot of spaghetti sauce.

“Something smells good,” Axe said, jolting her from her imagination. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Dinner won’t be long,” she said, taking the spoon out and placing it on the lid.

She was about to turn the other pot of water on, but Axe reached around her and flicked the gas off underneath the cooked spaghetti sauce. He took hold of her wrist, held her hand, and spun her around and away from the stove. Within seconds, his lips were on hers, and she melted against him. He pressed her up against the kitchen counter and she felt the hard ridge of his cock against her stomach. Heat flooded her body. Her nipples felt so incredibly tight.

“I’ve missed you,” he said.

She couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve missed you too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared up into his eyes.

Axe reached for the string of her sweatpants, and she didn’t fight him as he grabbed her hips and pushed the pants to the floor. He tore the panties from her body. The sound of tearing fabric filled the room, and she let out a gasp. He pressed his hand against her pussy, and she couldn’t help but sink her teeth into her lip as she tried to contain the arousal.

“You’re so wet. Have you been thinking about me?”

“Yes.”

“What have you been thinking about?” he asked.

There was no way she could tell him that she’d been thinking about falling in love with him.

Staring up at him, she thought about sex. “You, inside me,” she said.

It wasn’t wrong, nor was it a lie. Axe was inside her. There was no getting away from how important he was to her.

He reached up, gripped the back of her neck, and pulled her in close, making her moan as he slammed his lips down on hers.

“I’m going to be inside you again, but now I’m going to take care of your pussy.”

He broke the kiss, and she didn’t have to ask him what he was doing as he sunk to his knees in front of her. He lifted one of her legs and placed it on his knee, spreading her open wide for him. She let out a little gasp, and then another moan as he plunged fingers deep inside her, and then his tongue attacked her clit.

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