INICIAR SESIÓN“Didn’t want what?”Didn’t want to fall for him.“Ainsley, do you love him?”Yes. “What if my feelings are from the sex that rocks my world? What if I’ve latched onto the convenience of being with Ben because he lives here? What if I’ve confused submission with love?”“What if it is love and you’re making all these lame excuses because you don’t believe you can fall in love in a month?” Layla countered.“That’s not it.”“Then are you worried Bennett will expect you to become a lifestyle sub like me if you’re outside the club?”She remembered exchanging harsh words about that very thing the last night they’d seen each other. “No. I know that’s not what he wants. But hearing that he’s leaving the club—”makes me hopeful that maybe we have a chance, “—makes me wonder if he feels pressured to do it.”“Bennett is a force all his own. He doesn’t do a damn thing he doesn’t want to. He is willingly walking away from the club because he wants you, A, for the long haul. He found something more m
So Ainsley hadn’t lost her job? A weird, wonderful kind of hope began to overtake his feeling of defeat. If Ainsley was living in Sundance, he had a chance with her. Until he remembered why he didn’t have a chance with her.His mother clucked her tongue. “The poor girl sounded so lonely.”That tore at him. “How the hell can she be lonely?” Ben demanded. “When up until last week, she was with me most nights for the past four weeks?”“Why are you asking me? Maybe you should trot yourself to town and ask her. Because God knows, I would never hear the end of it if I poked my nose into your personal business.”Unreal.His mother threw a gaudy sequined scarf over her shoulder like a Hollywood diva. She placed her hands on Ben’s cheeks and stood on tiptoe to peck him on the mouth. “I love you. So here’s some advice, and please don’t take this the wrong way. You are a strong, independent man. A good man. A man who deserves happiness. But don’t be a stubborn man. It doesn’t make you weak to wa
Not good.Finally she looked at him. “I heard something a little disturbing today.”His gut roiled. Goddamn Dalton. Hadn’t he stressed the importance of keeping his big mouth shut? Was it a coincidence that one day after Dalton’s accusations, Ben’s mother showed up, hot under the collar? How was he supposed to look her in the eye when she questioned him about the rumor? Would she be disappointed? Would she ask where she’d gone wrong raising him?Ben managed a nonchalant, “What did you hear?”She blew across her cup, expecting him to fess up like a ten-year-old boy.Not happening.She sighed. “Tell me about the woman you took out for lunch last week.”Why did she give a rip about that?“Just answer the damn question, Bennett.”He was punchy if he hadn’t realized he’d uttered that out loud. His thoughts backtracked. Last week? Right. A last minute lunch with his client from Jackson Hole who’d been driving through town to give him an overdue payment. “You mean Dani? She’s a friend. That’
“What?” Ben asked wearily.“Are you pissed that I told them?”I’m more pissed about the shitty things you said to me regarding the land deal. “I’ll get over it. Eventually.”“Well, that’s…good, I guess. I’ll see you around.” Dalton practically ran out.Ben sort of felt sorry for him. Sort of.Quinn stepped behind the bar. Ben sat on the barstool between Gavin and Chase. Which was strange because Ben usually kept the bar as a buffer between himself and those he served.Maybe that’s an indication of how you view the world.“Drinks all around, boys,” Quinn said lining up four shot glasses and filling them with Scotch. He raised his glass. Paused. “What the hell are we drinking to?”“To Dalton bein’ a dumbass,” Chase drawled.They laughed and clinked their glasses together.Gavin motioned for Quinn to set ’em up again. “As much as you won’t apologize for the lifestyle you lead behind closed doors, I won’t apologize for buying Rielle’s place. So if you want to berate me, go ahead. But I do
He’d be touched by Dalton’s concern if he wasn’t so f**king mad. If he wasn’t so f**king mortified he’d have to look his brothers in the eye and admit, yes, part of what Dalton said was true.Ben expected silence as his brothers tried to process Dalton’ accusations.But Quinn started to laugh. His older brother, who defined restrained, laughed so hysterically tears rolled down his face. He laughed so hard he doubled over on the couch. He’d look up at Dalton, then at Ben, and cackle, giggle and wheeze with laughter.Not the reaction Ben had predicted.Finally, Quinn calmed down. He wiped his eyes. He addressed Dalton, who’d taken a seat during Quinn’s laughing fit. “I understand your concern, okay? I don’t know how I would’ve reacted seein’ Ben in that situation. But you’ve taken it totally out of context.”“Bullshit.”“So you ever been to a bar or a club in a big city like what you seen in Gillette?”“That don’t matter. This ain’t about me.”“You’re laying all Ben’s secrets bare. I’m
“Your hand is fine.”“You sure?” A loud mechanical buzz sounded next to her ear. “Because I found this on your nightstand.”“I didn’t plan to use it. I swear.”“Such a liar.” He nibbled on the back of her neck, sending a shudder through her. “I think you planned to give yourself a little treat before you fell asleep.”“No.”“Let’s see how this works.” He’d lubed up her rabbit vibrator; the cool silicone easily slipped inside her. He turned on all the moving parts at once—a total blitz on her senses. She’d already teetered on that elusive point and this would kick her right over the edge.When he started pinching the tender skin on the inside of her thighs, she tried to close her legs against the intense pleasure.He hissed, “Don’t deny yourself this. Don’t lie to yourself that you don’t like what I’m doin’ to you.”Why did that feel so good? Was she a masochist for craving more of that pain?Light pinches on her thicker folds of skin gave way to smaller, faster pinches. As she spirale
And what Dash Paulson found sort of shocked us.”“What’s that?”“We were under the impression that if just one of us wanted to sell our portion of the ranch, the other three owners would be forced to sell theirs too. Which is how Casper tried to control us, or at least got away with a lot more shit th
Her mind shook with a mix of shock and disbelief. Dismay wasn’t far behind.And she was still naked. She, who never slept bare, still lay in the bed of the man who instigated her downfall into the most forbidden sin and found a way to make her pant for it. And now, she laid in his bed like she was wa
“Then I guess we’ll have to find a way to coexist together, warts and all,” she said cheekily.“Bet your ass,” he growled.She yawned broadly, her eyes looking sleepy and contented.He pulled her into his arms, nestling her head against his shoulder.“Sleep now, baby. I’ll go into work late in the morni
“I like you,” she admitted. “A lot, actually. And I know you don’t think I trust you, but I do. I can’t even explain it to myself. But I feel safe with you. I tell you things I don’t tell other people.”His smile broadened. “I’m very glad you feel safe with me, baby, because you are. Always. Absolute







