Sweet Water Vet: Taking Rachael Part 12

Aha, Lady Luck loves me. Rachael was relieved to see that her hand was very strong. Ryden was in for one big shock. The guy wasn't used to losing.

Carefully schooling her features, she quizzically raised her eyebrows. "Well?"

"Mmm, I think I'll stay in." His voice gave nothing away.

"Well, okay. Me, too. Let's see what you've got." She leaned back confidently.

"Ladies first," he insisted.

She didn't mind. She had a good hand. Rachael watched his face as she laid down her full house. He remained impa.s.sive, and he continued to stare at her, probably stunned, poor thing. She tried, unsuccessfully, not to grin like the cat that got the cream.

"Oh, don't worry, Joshua," she said with barely contained glee.

"You'll come to see it as a win-win situation...in the end."

"Oh, no doubt about that." He suddenly looked smug as he revealed his hand, a straight flush. Rachael blinked. No, it couldn't be.

"b.u.g.g.e.r me," she whispered.

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"I intend to," he drawled.

Her eyes popped open wide. She was lost for words.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Grab your things. I'm taking you home to Sweet Water. I want to demonstrate my," he made little quotation marks in the air, "creative side."

b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. She knew that she was in trouble now.

Rachael packed an overnight bag, including a skirt, as instructed by Joshua. She still couldn't quite believe that she had lost the game.

She had to give Ryden his due, though. He was behaving like the perfect gentleman, gracious in his victory. She wasn't sure if she trusted it, like the calm before a storm. Her p.u.s.s.y tingled, but her backside clenched in panic. She had never been fully taken there, just finger play and certainly nothing as large as his c.o.c.k.

She was determined to appear cool and carefree, so when she returned to the living room, she flashed him her brightest smile.

"Ready. I'm all yours."

"Yes, you are."

She remembered her screamed declaration earlier, and judging by his expression, he did, too. She cursed her Celtic ancestry as she started to blush bright red.

"Rachael," he spoke tenderly. "Never feel embarra.s.sed with me.

It's just us, darlin'. Whatever happens is just between us."

She held his gaze and her heart flip-flopped. He looked so sincere and utterly doable, and she knew that she was falling hard. He reached out and embraced her, gently raining light kisses on her eyes, nose, cheeks, and finally mouth.

"Come on, let's go home."

Home? It wasn't her home but she like the way he said it. He picked up her bag, held her hand and walked to the Jeep.

"I'd prefer it if you came with me, but I think that you'd rather take your Jeep."

He was perceptive. She wanted to have the option to leave at any time without having to rely on anyone else.

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"See you soon. No stopping along the way to help an injured fly."

He looked reluctant to leave her. Maybe he thought that she was going to bolt.

"But they look so helpless on my windshield." She chuckled.

"That's what wipers are for."

"Oh, so cruel, but don't worry, I won't skip out on you. A deal is a deal."

Seeing Joshua in this unexpectedly caring and charming light, she relaxed but couldn't help wondering what he had planned for the evening. The plans she'd had for him were quite possibly along similar lines. Improbable though it was, she felt aroused again, excited by hinted at dark desires.

Joshua watched her leave and had to remind himself that she was his for the rest of the day and all night if he could help it. He was elated that she had just handed him the golden opportunity to explore her kinky side with fewer inhibitions because she could tell herself it was just part of the game. As he saddled up Star, he'd decided not to do the obvious thing straight away but instead to spend the rest day courting her.

He had liked listening to her tales of life in England. She clearly loved her work and was anxious to be licensed in Texas. Not only could she look after herself, but he also knew from the way she had behaved toward his sister that she cared about others. She was kind to the animals in her care, but not weak. Vets often had to make difficult decisions when it came to dealing with creatures in pain and distress.

Joshua enjoyed the way he didn't have to over-explain things to her. She was a good listener, and he had talked more about himself to her than he had with anyone else outside of his immediate family.

Even so, he had omitted to mention much about their other family business. Sure she knew that the ranch was large and that they

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provided Colin with a lot of business, but she didn't appear to know about their company Sweet Oil.

Experiences with some women had taught him to be wary. His wealth had attracted gold diggers interested only in material gain.

Rachael, however, didn't seem too interested in material wealth. He discovered that she enjoyed simple things like outdoor pursuits, such as hiking and running, but that she also loved to curl up at home with a good piece of fiction and a gla.s.s of wine.

Janet and James would most likely be home, so he would cook a family meal. After a little wining and dining, they would retire to his wing of the house and the real fun and games would begin. He hoped that she would stay the night.

When Janet was younger, he never had women over to stay. He always went back to their place after making sure that either James or Isabella were home. When Janet left for college, he'd had his lady friends over to the house, but even so, none had ever actually slept, really slept, in his bed. He had always taken them back to their homes first, even though they were usually worn out by that time. He realized that he'd been a cold b.a.s.t.a.r.d. He couldn't imagine sending Rachael home. He instead imagined snuggling up to her and waking next to her in the morning. It was a pleasant fiction that he wanted to make a reality, and, with that thought in mind, he mounted Star and headed for home.

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Chapter 5.

As Joshua approached the ranch house, he felt a warm swell of satisfaction. He preferred how the house and gardens appeared from this angle of approach-secluded and private. The large pool reflected the lazy, warm light of the afternoon onto the walls of the house, giving it an ephemeral quality and evoking calmness and serenity.

The overall beauty of the gardens was a product of good landscape design, careful plant selection, irrigation, and maintenance. There were pretty pathways under the shade of jasmine vines and bougainvillea leading to secluded benches with views of the surrounding countryside. His mother had started the garden because she had wanted a relaxing haven for the family, and he had merely continued with her design ideas.

He thought of Rachael, picturing her enjoying the garden but then fractured the tranquil image with thoughts of a carnal nature: Rachael bent over a bench, up against a tree, on her knees near the fountain, and sitting on the swing seat with her legs spread wide. He adjusted his plans to include a stroll in the grounds.

It was a Sunday afternoon, and the place was quiet. Most of the ranch hands would be away until the morning. Joshua dismounted and led Star around the house and to the stables. Rachael's Jeep wasn't there. He'd arrived before her, as expected. He entered the building and discovered James checking on his own horse.

"A good night?"

"More enjoyable than yours, from what Jan tells me." James grinned.

"Well, it got better, so don't feel sorry for me."

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"Really?" James said, fishing.

"A gentleman doesn't tell."

"You're not usually a gentleman."

"Well, I am today. She's on her way over here, so behave."

"Scout's honor. So I guess that means there's no chance of me getting any of that fine a.s.s?" James ducked as Joshua took a playful swipe at him.

"She doesn't fancy you, amigo."

"So I heard. Who'd have thought that a lovely lady like Miss Harrison would have such questionable taste?"

"You and Luke can get your own. You don't seem short of company."

"We're lookin'. It's such a ch.o.r.e," James joked.

They fed their animals and strolled to the house just as Rachael arrived.

"Hi, guys," she called out, dazzling them with her bright smile.

Joshua felt relief and desire at the sight of her. It was ridiculous, but he didn't really care. He went to help with her bag and noted with satisfaction that she didn't resist this time. He pushed the boundaries a little further by putting an arm around her shoulders and guided her into the house.

His large hand felt warm and her skin reacted with increased sensitivity. Her body was uncannily aware of his. It was totally unchartered territory for her.

As they walked up the wooden steps to the wide veranda and main entrance, Janet appeared with a delighted grin on her face.

"Hey, it's good to see you...both."

For a second, Rachael froze. Jeepers, this is all happening so fast.

But then a soft squeeze from Joshua chided her out of it. So what if it was happening quickly? Not everything had a specific time frame.

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"Thanks," Rachael said with a soft smile, alluding not only to the welcome but also to Janet's help in smoothing out the misunderstanding of the night before. They all took their dusty boots off before entering the house.

"Anyone fancy a nice cool beer?" Janet headed toward the gigantic fridge to a chorus of "Sure."

Joshua excused them and, with a jerk of his head, indicated that Rachael should follow. He headed toward a door at the far end of the large living room. She started to turn and caught James smirking at her as he noticed the overnight bag.

"Shut up."