is mostly normal and is running the ranch, which just makes him a target for Dad who likes things done a certain way. He’s been giving Ty shit all week and my little brother has about had it. He’s ready to turn things over to Royce, who as I said earlier doesn’t have the best work ethic.”
An outsider would never see the dysfunction in the Monroe family. Everyone thought of them as the royal family of Fielding and Jared was the prince. They had such a facade of perfection it was startling to see a crack in the foundation.
“What about you? Where do you fall in all this?”
Jared turned her hand over and traced a line on her palm with his callused finger. Her body trembled and the blood roared in her ears. “Me? I’m simply trying to hold the whole damn thing together.”
“Your father must be very grateful.”
Smiling, Jared shook his head. “Dad doesn’t do gratitude. He still hasn’t quite forgiven me for taking the sheriff’s job instead of working on the ranch. I knew it would make him angry but I did it anyway.”
“Why did you do it then?”
Jared rested his chin in his hand. “I wanted something of my own. Mom understood and she encouraged me to follow my own path. Dad wanted Royce to run the ranch. I’ve known that since I was in diapers. I wanted to be more independent than taking orders from my older brother day in and day out.”
Misty smiled and squeezed his hand. “You wanted to give the orders?”
Jared chuckled, his lips turned up at the corners. “Damn straight. If you haven’t guessed yet I like to be the boss.”
“It shows.”
His chuckle turned into a hearty laugh. “I like you, Misty. Anyone else would tiptoe around me, afraid to make me mad. You? You just tell it like it is.”
“I like you too.” She sort of strangled on the words and they came out choked and barely audible.
His warm hand slid up her arm and over her shoulder so his fingers could tip up her chin. Their gazes met and she saw a heat in his eyes that was echoed in her thundering heart.
“I want to kiss you, Misty Foster. But not like last time. This time I want you to want it as much as I do. Should I walk out the door or should I lean in and kiss your pretty pink lips? It’s your choice.”
Her breathing shallow, Misty was lightheaded and dizzy. She did want Jared to kiss her. So much. But did she want more? She could feel the attraction simmering between them growing stronger each and every minute they spent together. A kiss would only be the beginning. If she said yes it wasn’t going to stop there. He would want it all. Was she ready to do something out of the ordinary? She was leaving Fielding in about a month so he wouldn’t be around to remind her if this turned into a fiasco. But something inside was tugging her toward him…pulling her inexorably…
She wanted to feel everything. More. She wasn’t her mother but she was a woman full of passion and desire. For this one man. For one night.
“Kiss me.”
Chapter Six
M isty’s lips were soft and trembling, tasting of sweet chocolate and something undefinable that only she had. His fingers curled around the nape of her neck and tangled in the long silky strands of her pale blonde hair. He rubbed a tendril between his fingers – like satin against his rough skin – his body tightening at the contrast between them. Man. Woman. Her innate femininity made him feel infinitely more…masculine.
Yet protective. Her smaller frame was so delicate he needed to be supremely gentle tonight. He could feel her surrender but her nervousness too. He’d take this as slow as possible, allowing her inhibitions to fall away.
Reaching up to the daybed he yanked away a blanket and laid it on the rug, never letting his lips move far from hers. He pressed her back so they were both lying on the soft flannel throw as his lips explored the hollow of her throat were the pulse beat madly. Her hands moved restlessly on his back and his cock tightened
An outsider would never see the dysfunction in the Monroe family. Everyone thought of them as the royal family of Fielding and Jared was the prince. They had such a facade of perfection it was startling to see a crack in the foundation.
“What about you? Where do you fall in all this?”
Jared turned her hand over and traced a line on her palm with his callused finger. Her body trembled and the blood roared in her ears. “Me? I’m simply trying to hold the whole damn thing together.”
“Your father must be very grateful.”
Smiling, Jared shook his head. “Dad doesn’t do gratitude. He still hasn’t quite forgiven me for taking the sheriff’s job instead of working on the ranch. I knew it would make him angry but I did it anyway.”
“Why did you do it then?”
Jared rested his chin in his hand. “I wanted something of my own. Mom understood and she encouraged me to follow my own path. Dad wanted Royce to run the ranch. I’ve known that since I was in diapers. I wanted to be more independent than taking orders from my older brother day in and day out.”
Misty smiled and squeezed his hand. “You wanted to give the orders?”
Jared chuckled, his lips turned up at the corners. “Damn straight. If you haven’t guessed yet I like to be the boss.”
“It shows.”
His chuckle turned into a hearty laugh. “I like you, Misty. Anyone else would tiptoe around me, afraid to make me mad. You? You just tell it like it is.”
“I like you too.” She sort of strangled on the words and they came out choked and barely audible.
His warm hand slid up her arm and over her shoulder so his fingers could tip up her chin. Their gazes met and she saw a heat in his eyes that was echoed in her thundering heart.
“I want to kiss you, Misty Foster. But not like last time. This time I want you to want it as much as I do. Should I walk out the door or should I lean in and kiss your pretty pink lips? It’s your choice.”
Her breathing shallow, Misty was lightheaded and dizzy. She did want Jared to kiss her. So much. But did she want more? She could feel the attraction simmering between them growing stronger each and every minute they spent together. A kiss would only be the beginning. If she said yes it wasn’t going to stop there. He would want it all. Was she ready to do something out of the ordinary? She was leaving Fielding in about a month so he wouldn’t be around to remind her if this turned into a fiasco. But something inside was tugging her toward him…pulling her inexorably…
She wanted to feel everything. More. She wasn’t her mother but she was a woman full of passion and desire. For this one man. For one night.
“Kiss me.”
Chapter Six
M isty’s lips were soft and trembling, tasting of sweet chocolate and something undefinable that only she had. His fingers curled around the nape of her neck and tangled in the long silky strands of her pale blonde hair. He rubbed a tendril between his fingers – like satin against his rough skin – his body tightening at the contrast between them. Man. Woman. Her innate femininity made him feel infinitely more…masculine.
Yet protective. Her smaller frame was so delicate he needed to be supremely gentle tonight. He could feel her surrender but her nervousness too. He’d take this as slow as possible, allowing her inhibitions to fall away.
Reaching up to the daybed he yanked away a blanket and laid it on the rug, never letting his lips move far from hers. He pressed her back so they were both lying on the soft flannel throw as his lips explored the hollow of her throat were the pulse beat madly. Her hands moved restlessly on his back and his cock tightened
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