The woman was maybe pushing five two, making her a good foot shorter than he was. She was slight and trim; her jeans had holes in them and were plastered to her slim legs. Her yellow tank top was slicked against her chest and damn near translucent from the dousing it had sustained. As it was, the thin material outlined the high swell of her breasts. The nipples were drawn into taut points beneath it and pushed enticingly against the see-through material.
But it was her face that drew him the most. She had smooth, unblemished skin that was sun kissed golden, delicate, high cheekbones, and a wide, generous mouth currently set with grim determination as she moved around the gear. The tip of her slim nose was slightly upturned, and her eyes were like dark, liquid pools of mahogany framed by thick, inky lashes. Her dark hair ran over her shoulders to drape against her chest and back, but he thought it might be lighter in color when dry, more of a tawny caramel than a burnt walnut.
Colt rubbed a hand over his face to dispel the sudden influx of lust her wet form engendered in him. He had to remember this woman was in the cabin, on his property, as a freeloader. He hated people who took advantage of the immense acreage of Silver Springs Ranch. It was stealing, plain and simple. Once the storm had abated, he would deal with her—harshly, if it came to it. With anger lacing his clipped words, he said, “I’m going to ask you again, who the hell are you, and what the hell do you think you’re doing in this cabin?”
“Isn’t it obvious, cowboy? I’m staying here.” Sarcasm dripped from her words, her voice like silken honey. “I should be asking you the same thing.” She all but ignored him as she took care of the equipment with absolutely no apparent fear that he could be a rapist or murderer.
“This cabin was not rented out.” He knew this as, when he’d received the updated guest manifest from registration yesterday evening, this cabin, B42, was listed as being a vacancy. That meant she was here illegally. “I don’t know how you even got in without a key.”
She shoved wet hair out of her face and shrugged. “Well, I’m renting it, technically. Although there might be some issues with the rental in the sense that I still have to pay for it, but it’s the stream’s fault. Why? You work at the ranch?”
He cocked a brow. She hadn’t asked if he owned the ranch but if he worked on it. A photo of his face was on the website. It was hard to miss that he owned it. And Colt didn’t know why, but he didn’t want her to know he was the ranch proprietor, so he omitted the fact. “Yep. I work for Silver Springs Ranch. I know for a fact that there’s no guests listed as renting this cabin. It’s supposed to be empty. That makes you a squatter and a freeloader.”
She cast a haughty frown in his direction, like he was the one taking advantage of the ranch instead of the other way around. He curled his hands into fists to keep himself from grabbing her and shaking the truth out of her.
All Colt had wanted was a day to himself without any problems. And this sexy as hell scrounger had tossed a wrench into the works on the first day he’d had off in weeks.
It had happened before: people squatting in their cabins without paying. With as much acreage and as many remote cabins as they had, at times it was hard to monitor each one. And if the last renter or housekeeping forgot to lock the front door, it was easy for somebody to enter.
“Look, I’m not a damn squatter. Besides, what are you doing here? It looks like you were planning to move right in.” She tossed the damp towel on the sofa and made him wince. She set her hands on her hips, emphasizing her slight curves, and scowled with defiance.
Colt prowled toward her as the cabin shuddered in the crashing thunder, peeved that anyone would take advantage of his place. “I call it like I see it, lady.” He moved until they were standing no more than a foot apart, glaring at each other.
“Oh yeah, and what are you doing out here but using this place illegally?”
“Besides needing to take shelter from the storm? About to kick a squatter off ranch property,” he growled.
“Look, cowboy, I can’t take my equipment back out in that storm without it getting damaged. And for the last time,” she drilled a finger into his chest, “I’m not squatting. I fully intend to pay for my stay.”
He snorted. “And you just forgot to stop by registration? How did you even get inside? Did you pick the lock? You’ve got some nerve, breaking and entering. I’m sure the sheriff would be mighty interested in your activities.”
“The door was open, wise guy. And you think my staying here’s ballsy?” She gripped his wet shirt in her hands, and yanked his face down until their eyes were level with one another. The woman was far stronger than she appeared, and Colt wondered what she planned to do. But then she planted her hot mouth against his lips.
Shock filled him for all of two seconds as her exotic, red-hot honeyed flavor swamped his senses. His hands gripped her nape, and he plundered her mouth with all the fury inside him. He punished her with his kiss. One moment he had been empty and the next, she occupied his arms. Her wet form was plastered against him. The pointed beads of her nipples were crushed against his chest. She tasted like hundred-proof whiskey, and packed just as potent a punch. His control slipped as she met his hungry passion with her own fiery desire. Need clawed at his belly.
Colt would push her away… in a moment.
Deep down, he knew the right thing to do was to release her. They were strangers. Any moment now, he would shove her away and chastise her before he sent her packing. He was seconds from forcing her away. He didn’t even know her damn name. But she tasted like every sinful fantasy he had ever had, and he couldn’t seem to find the strength to release her. Yet he should drive her away.
Her hand snaked down the front of his jeans and circled his dick.
Fuck.
All systems were go for launch as she stroked his shaft with delicate fingers that knew just the right amount of pressure to apply. Screw sanity or doing the right thing. He growled into her mouth. This was exactly what he fucking needed. If she wanted a hot roll in the hay before he kicked her off the property, he was game. He stroked his hands over the slim lines of her back, down to cup her rear.
Jesus Christ, she had a fucking sweetly shaped ass. Colt caressed her hip, and slid his hand down her thigh, drawing a leg up around his waist. He wanted her naked. He wanted to feel the clench of her cunt around his dick.
He wanted this wild woman more than he’d wanted another in a long time.
He’d gone insane. Or he was at his desk, dreaming about her and this cabin. But he no longer fucking cared. Thoughts of ripping her clothes from her hot body and taking her where they stood came to mind. Colt didn’t understand the overpowering lust she triggered inside him, that shattered his stalwart control into dust. But she roused him to fevered heights, and instead of fighting it, he welcomed the flames.
She removed her hand from his cock, catapulted herself into his arms, and wrapped her legs about his waist. The move knocked his hat off onto the floor and he couldn’t care less about the damn thing. Not when his arms were full of hot, willing woman.
They groaned in unison at the intimate contact. With his hands cupping her butt, Colt walked toward the bed, avoiding all the gear, but never breaking his stride or removing his mouth from her lush lips. His blood pounded a loud drumbeat in his veins. His erection strained against the confines of his jeans.