The Cowbear's Curvy Christmas (Curvy Bear Ranch 2) (2 page)

“I like it rough,” she whispered as she tore his shirt open.

He growled and reached to unbutton her pants. The tight confines of the cab hindered him to the point of frustration. Finally, he pulled her over his lap and yanked her jeans down. She turned her head to look back at him and winked salaciously.

Matching red satin panties left little to the imagination. He ran his hand across her plump ass and gave it a little whack.

She gasped as if shocked before murmuring, “I’ve been a bad girl, cowboy.”

He smirked. “Don’t I know it?”

She wiggled her ass. “I think I deserve a spanking.”

He couldn’t agree with her more. Normally he didn’t slap women, but his bear was so strong that he couldn’t help himself. A flash of guilt raced through him the first time he spanked her ass, but when she moaned and ground her pussy against his lap, his bear quashed the guilt for him.

She groaned as he smacked her ass a few more times. In the semidarkness, he couldn’t quite make out the depth of color on her cheeks, but he could feel their warmth. He stopped and caressed the backs of her thighs for a moment.

She crawled back across his lap onto her knees. “I want to see you naked.”

He unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down. They pooled at his ankles. He’d gone commando today. Sometimes his cock just didn’t want to be confined. Now he was glad he didn’t need to take anything else off.

He’d hardly sat back up before her hand closed around his shaft. The breath whooshed from his chest at the sudden contact. The little vixen squeezed and slowly stroked her hand up and down.

“You’re so big.”

“Average.”

“No, you have to be at least ten inches.”

Her eyes shimmered with lust as she eyed his cock. He tried to relax, but everything was moving so fast. Normally he took his time and explored every inch of a woman’s body before having sex, but not tonight.

As she straddled him, he couldn’t help but think that he’d never fucked a woman without at least knowing her real name. But as she slid down onto his cock, the truth didn’t matter. All that mattered was the slick, wet heat around his cock. She was tight. God, so tight.

He clenched his teeth as she slid up and down. Her breasts brushed across his face as she bounced on his lap. Balls-deep and consumed by her passion, he fought the rising tide of pleasure. His bear wanted him to pound her harder, faster, deeper. He reined the animal in and slowed his pace.

He clutched her hips. “Whoa.”

“I’m not a horse,” she gasped.

“No, you’re a fucking stallion.”

She giggled and leaned forward to kiss him. Her sultry mouth dropped from his lips to the side of his neck. Just under his jaw, she found that ultra-sensitive spot that always turned him to jelly. He groaned. He yanked her hips down and ground his cock into her. She responded by clenching her body around him. His heart beat wildly as she nuzzled his neck.

“Your cock is so big. It’s so deep. Oh, God.”

“You’re so fucking hot.”

“Want a different view?”

“No, I love watching your breasts bounce.”

“My ass bounces too.”

He tried to hold back a whimper of need, but failed. She rose up, leaving his cock alone in the cold air. He already wanted to plunge back into her pussy, but this gave him the break he needed in order to regain control. He wasn’t going to come until she did. A woman always deserved to come first.

He wasn’t sure how she did it, but she managed to turn around with her back to him. As she dropped back into his lap, her ass ground against his stomach. He squeezed her hips and brought her down until the tip of his cock pressed against her pussy lips.

Since he’d never see her again, he didn’t mind taking her hard, deep, and without warning. As he yanked her down onto his cock, he pushed his hips up. His cock surged through her tight heat until he was in as deep as possible. She went crazy, riding him with abandon. He grit his teeth. The way she rotated her ass and moved against him nearly killed him.

“Fuck, baby. I need you to come for me.”

“Play with my clit.”

He reached around and rubbed the tiny nub. Within seconds, she screamed as her pussy pulsed and clenched around his cock. She fell forward, bracing herself against the dashboard. Her full, voluptuous hips didn’t stop moving.

Molten heat bubbled up from deep within his body. He was so close, only a breath away. One last thrust sent him into a frenzy. He came inside her with thick, hot bursts. He kept thrusting until his cock became too sensitive to continue.

As he eased out of her, she slid into the seat beside him. A thin sheen of sweat coated her forehead and upper lip.

“God, I needed that,” she murmured.

Snowflakes landed on the windows, but quickly melted. He couldn’t believe they hadn’t even made it to her hotel room. He tried to remember any other time that he’d picked up a woman and had sex with her in his truck, but he couldn’t. Well, there was a first time for everything. Unfortunately, a last time also.

As she pulled on her clothes he asked, “So. Should we exchange numbers or something?”

“I think we both know this was a one-shot deal.”

Shocked by her candor, he simply nodded. “Right.”

He pulled his pants up and buckled them. After putting his shirt back on, he glanced at her. “I guess I won’t see you again?”

“I’m just passing through.”

“Too bad.”

She smiled. “Who knows, maybe we’ll meet up again someday.”

“Maybe.”

She opened the door and jumped down into the snow. “I’ll see you around, cowboy.”

Chapter 2

Maddie forced one eye open and swatted at the vile alarm clock on the nightstand next to the hotel bed. How was it seven a.m. already?

As she raised her head, the room tilted on its axis. She dropped her face into the pillow and tried to smother herself. She probably looked like shit and she needed to be at the interview in an hour. There was no way she was going to get the job. Why bother? She could just stay in bed for the rest of her life.

A few minutes later, the second alarm went off.

“Ugh,” she grumbled.

After slapping the button to kill it, she slid to the edge of the bed and rolled onto the floor. On her hands and knees, she crawled toward the bathroom. As she passed a full-length mirror, she winced. Dark smudges formed pits under her eyes. Mascara caked her eyelashes. A formerly pristine layer of foundation had formed blotches on her chin. Great.

She briefly considered abandoning her plan. She could run back to Seattle and beg her sister to let her stay at her house. But then she’d have to admit that her sister had been right when she’d warned her about Ben. Why hadn’t she seen the signs? Maybe she’d been too willing to ignore them because of the promise of a fairytale life.

The thought of going back to Seattle made her stomach churn. She wasn’t ready to face her friends and family, and she certainly wasn’t ready to face her ex. Knowing her luck, she’d run into him the minute she returned.

As she made her way into the bathroom, she abandoned all thoughts of escaping the interview. This job was her only hope of earning enough money to buy her the time that she needed to figure out what to do next. She was living day to day without a plan. She had to get this job. She needed stability.

After standing on shaky legs, she turned on the shower. A minute later, she tested the water. Lukewarm, but better than nothing. She stepped into the bathtub and let the water cascade down her body. Her thighs were still sore from riding the hot cowboy. At least she didn’t regret that part of the night. She deserved a treat after everything Ben had put her through.

She dressed quickly and jumped into the rental car. She had thirty minutes to make the drive. It might not be enough time, but it was her own damn fault for getting wasted the night before. Oh well, at least she’d finally, epically, rejected her mother’s insistence on always having good manners. Even though her mother would never know about her torrid act of defiance, Maddie would know, and that was good enough.

The turnoff to the Curvy Bear Ranch snuck up on her. She missed it and skidded to a stop on the side of the highway. After backing up, she turned onto the narrow road. She hit the odometer and watched it count up. The directions had said to drive for four miles then look for signs.

Twenty minutes later, she glared at the clock. It blinked eight a.m. Damn, she was going to be late. She hated being late for anything, especially interviews.

As the sign for the Curvy Bear Ranch came into view, she relaxed. At least she wasn’t that late.

She drove under the huge sign and onto a gravel road. The ground crunched under her tires as she pulled up to a large cabin-like home. She didn’t know much about the ranch, but she knew they ran a bed and breakfast in addition to whatever else it was that cowboys did.

As she hopped out of the car, her heel caught on a rock. She stumbled and landed on her knees. She quickly stood to inspect the damage. An angry red welt rose up on her right knee and scratches marred her left. She’d chosen a thick wool skirt and winter coat, but as the wind whipped in from the prairie, she wished she’d chosen something warmer.

The front door opened. A big, burly man strolled out and descended the porch steps. “You must be Madison Collins.”

“That’s me.”

“I saw you fall. Are you okay? Do you need a Band-Aid?”

“I’m fine. Are you Mack?”

“No, Mack’s my older brother. He’s out in the pasture right now. He asked me to have you wait in the kitchen over at the B&B. He should be coming in soon. Some of the cattle got loose last night and he’s leading the roundup.”

“I see.”

“The B&B’s this way.”

“I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’m Hank, but don’t feel bad if you can’t remember my name. With five other brothers, we pretty much answer to any one of our names.”

Five? Wow. Did everyone up here have a big family? She wanted to ask but didn’t want to be rude.

As they approached the bed and breakfast, she smiled. “This is great. How many guests can it hold?”

“Twenty couples.”

Oh crap. Twenty? How on earth was she going to cook for forty people when she hadn’t turned on a stove in years? “Are you full during the winter?”

“We sell out every year. This year, we sold out within a week of putting up the availability. I think people know that they need to book early because we’re only open for a limited time. We start two weeks before Christmas and close the week after New Year’s. It doesn’t open again until spring, so people are quick to book space.”

A rush of dread pooled in her belly. What had she been thinking? On the application, she’d lied. She’d said she was capable of running a bed and breakfast with up to thirty guest rooms. Crap, even if she got the job, there was no way they wouldn’t bust her the first week. This entire trip had been a mistake.

Hank unlocked the door and swung it open. “After you.”

When she walked into the entryway, her breath caught in her chest. A huge stone fireplace rose up one wall. Brown leather sofas and overstuffed chairs formed a semicircle around it. Oil paintings depicting scenes from Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons decorated the walls.

She walked across the wood floor to the enormous living room. One corner boasted floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A section of the ceiling was two stories high. She spotted a rolling ladder and couldn’t wait to explore the books. If she did somehow manage to get the job and keep it, she’d have plenty of reading material. Hopefully there were a few cookbooks mixed in with the other books.

“Wow, this is amazing.”

“Our mom used to collect books about Yellowstone and the surrounding area. After she died, we moved all of her books into the library. In a way, it’s like she’s still here with us. She always loved reading. Don’t worry though, we also have plenty of spy novels and thrillers to keep you entertained when you have some downtime.”

She followed him through the living room into a large dining room. A long table flanked by rows of chairs gave her a visual reminder of how screwed she was. She’d have to make enough food for every person at the table and she had no idea where to start.

As they entered the kitchen, she sucked in a breath. Instead of the usual four or five-burner stove, a huge fifteen-burner stove lined one wall. Giant pots and pans hung on a copper rack overhead. Three refrigerators and two stand-alone freezers flanked another wall.

“You’ll be cooking for around forty to fifty people, but you’ll have plenty of space to work.”

“Fifty? I thought there were only forty guests.” Not that it mattered. She could hardly cook an egg let alone a whole meal.

“That’s right, but there’s also six brothers plus you. And, my brother Brady has a fiancée and a son. His fiancée’s mother comes to eat with us most nights too. So that puts us at fifty.”

Her knees wobbled. “Sounds great.”

“You can wait in the living room if you want. Mack should be here soon.”

“Okay.”

As soon as he left, she plopped down onto a sofa in front of the empty fireplace. What on earth was she going to do now? She stared around the room. The bed and breakfast was beyond beautiful, but also had a feeling of warmth and hominess. When she’d looked around for honeymoon places, she’d seen several bed and breakfasts, but nothing like this.

The front door opened. A blast of icy air swirled into the house. She stood and turned to face her potential future employer. Her eyes went wide and she almost fainted. It was him. The guy from last night.

“What are you doing here?” she blurted.

“I live here. What are
you
doing here?”

“You’re Mack?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah.”

“You said your name was Justin last night.”

“You said your name was Candy. I figured I didn’t have to give you my real name since you obviously didn’t give me yours.”

She flushed. “I thought… I thought I’d never see you again, so I didn’t see the point in telling you my real name.”

“I had the same thought.”

“So…”

“Yeah…”

“I’m guessing I should just leave.” She strode across the room toward the door.

Her hand was on the doorknob when he said, “Wait.”

She turned. “Wait for what? Wait for you to lecture me about fucking strangers in bars?”

“What if I’d been a serial killer? You shouldn’t get into a stranger’s truck in a town you don’t know. I could have driven you out to the forest, raped you, and then dumped you in the river. No one would find you until spring and I’d never be caught.”

“I see you’ve thought this through,” she said sarcastically.

“I watch the news. It happens. A woman alone isn’t safe.”

“Oh, God. You’re one of
those
guys.”

“What do you mean?

“You’re one of those guys who thinks women can’t live alone, that they need a man around to protect them.” She stepped forward. “I can take perfectly good care of myself without a man. So don’t start with that crap.”

He moved closer. “I never said that. You’re one of those bra-burning feminists, aren’t you?”

Her jaw dropped. “If I’m a bra-burning feminist, then you’re a male chauvinist pig.”

“Maybe I am,” he challenged.

She huffed. “You know what? Screw this job. You can have it. Have a nice life, asshole.”

She turned and yanked open the door. As she tromped through the snow, she cursed under her breath. Jerk. Even dealing with her sister would be less of a pain in the ass than dealing with this jackass.

Footsteps crunched through the snow behind her. She picked up the pace as much as she could in heels. Why hadn’t she worn boots? Clearly it would have made more sense. But she’d worn business suits at her banking job, so she figured a suit and heels would work for any job interview. Apparently not this one.

She jammed the key in the car door and yanked it open. It slammed back shut. Shocked, she turned to find Mack towering over her. He was breathing hard and for a moment, her traitorous body felt him sliding into her, spreading her, claiming her, and making her come. Why did God always attach a perfect cock to an asshole?

***

“Wait,” Mack snapped.

He couldn’t let her get away. Although the idea of spending another second with her turned his guts to stone, he needed her to run the B&B. No one else had applied and it was supposed to open in less than a week.

“Why?”

He stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t mean what I said about you being a bra-burning feminist.”

She laughed. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Why did you lie to me at the bar?”

“Because, I’ve never done anything like that before and I didn’t want you to know my real name.”

“You’re not a very good liar.”

“You are.”

“I only lied about my name. You lied about everything.”

She put her hands on her hips. Firecracker. That’s what she was. His bear had sensed it the moment he’d walked into the bar. And his bear had gone nuts when he’d let her walk away a minute ago. He didn’t understand how his bear could size up a person in seconds, but he somehow knew he could trust her. He was also desperate. He couldn’t run the ranch and the B&B at the same time. Even with his brothers helping out, it was too much work.

“Can we put this all behind us? I acted like a bit of a jerk—”

“Like a jackass.”

“Okay, fine. Like a jackass. But can you blame me for being shocked to find you sitting in my living room?”

“I guess not.”

“I’d still like to interview you.”

Who was he kidding? He had to hire her no matter what. If the B&B failed, they’d have trouble paying for the ranch’s other winter supplies. He’d also lose the reputation he’d worked so hard to build. In an area rife with vacation rentals, he needed to be at the top of his game to make sure the reservations were full.

She stood studying him. “I’ll humor you if you apologize for being an asshole.”

“I’m sorry,” he grumbled.

She turned up her nose. “Fine. I’ll let you interview me, but I’m not sure I even want this job anymore.”

“Then let me convince you.” He flashed a charming smile in the hopes of breaking the tension between them.

He knew the moment she caved. The rigidity in her shoulders dissipated along with the steel in her spine. If nothing else, she seemed like the kind of woman who would be ready for anything. He liked that.