“I think you’ll be comfortable here. Travis has stayed here before, so he knows where everything is. Make sure you stay well hydrated and take it easy tonight. We’re a little over eight thousand feet here, and you’re a flatlander. You might feel the effects of the altitude for a while,” Tate told Ally with a charismatic smile. “I’m glad you’re here, Ally. I hope you have a good time.”
Tate Colter was probably what Travis would call his best friend aside from his brother Kade, but he still wanted to punch him every time he turned that admiring smile toward Ally. “We’re fine. You can leave now,” Travis told him gruffly, looking around the guesthouse. He had stayed here many times before, and it was a nice place. But all he wanted was for Tate’s ass to leave. A ranch hand had brought their bags over earlier, while they’d sat and chatted with Tate over dinner. Now all Travis wanted was to be alone with Ally.
“Glad to know you missed me so much, buddy.” Tate slapped Travis on the back with a smirk.
Travis glared back at him, knowing Tate was just trying to push his buttons. It hadn’t taken long for Tate to realize that Travis was feeling territorial about Ally, and he’d immediately started paying as much attention to her as possible just to irritate Travis. Bastard!
Ally stepped forward and offered Tate her hand. “Thank you so much for having me. It’s beautiful here.”
“I’m very happy to have you,” Tate answered, putting his emphasis on the word “have” intentionally as he shook Ally’s hand much longer than he needed to.
“If you don’t leave, I’m gonna fucking kill you,” Travis growled.
Tate let go of Ally’s hand and let out a choked laugh. “Okay, okay. I’m going.” Tate obviously noted that Travis was getting close to his tipping point.
Travis gave him a hard shove, moving Tate closer to the door, not an easy feat since he and Tate were about the same size. But Travis had irritation on his side. Opening the door, he motioned Tate impatiently through the entrance, and slammed it behind him, flipping the lock noisily. He could hear Tate’s booming laughter as he walked away from the guesthouse. “Son of a bitch!”
“Travis. He was just giving you a hard time. He isn’t interested in me,” Ally said soothingly behind him. “Show me the house. It’s gorgeous.”
“I know what he was trying to do. I swear I’ll repay the favor someday.” He couldn’t wait until Tate had a serious love interest now.
The guesthouse was an expansive ranch, all on one floor. He took Ally by the hand and led her around the various rooms, stopping when he finally reached the master bedroom and slid open the sliding door to the patio off the bedroom. “My favorite part of this house.”
Ally stepped outside and sighed, a sound that had Travis’s hard cock twitching, wanting to hear that sound as he buried himself inside her.
“It’s lovely. And the skies are so clear here. The stars look incredible,” she said with awe. “What is this?” She waved toward a small pool with a waterfall that trickled down several ledges of rocks.
“It’s the hot springs. They have an incredible flow on this land that allows them to divert it to several places. The biggest one is in the resort and spa.”
Ally sniffed loudly. “It has a different smell.”
“It’s the minerals. This is a natural hot springs. It has like fourteen or fifteen different natural minerals.”
“It’s beautiful. Is it warm?”
“It is,” Travis said casually as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. “And relaxing.”
Travis nearly groaned as he saw the look of longing on Ally’s face as her eyes roamed over his chest. “I’ll go get us some water. Tate is right. You need to keep drinking water.”
“I’ll get it,” she answered quickly, licking her lips as she watched him flip the top button of his jeans. She backed up slowly and headed for the kitchen, as though she didn’t want to take her eyes away from him.
Travis quickly stripped off his jeans and briefs and slid into the pool, groaning as the warm mineral water sloshed over his body. He submerged himself, letting the warmth soothe him as he dunked his head and then sat on one of the lower rock ledges, leaning back so the water trickled over him, relaxing his muscles.
How often had he sat in this exact place, dreaming about Ally? He’d left the patio light off, leaving only the light from the bedroom on. He looked up at the sky, marveling at the miracle that she was finally here with him. Unconsciously, he gripped his hard, pulsating cock, stroking it as he stared up at the sky, both exhilarated and terrified at how Ally had changed his life. Let’s face it, he wasn’t a guy who’d had a whole lot of happiness in his life, and it was intoxicating. But he still had fears of losing Ally. And he knew that now he’d never survive the loss.
A small, needy moan came from beside the pool, and Travis looked up to see Ally with two giant bottled waters in her hand, looking at him with so much longing that his heart accelerated like a race car taking off from the starting line. Finally realizing that he was stroking his own cock, he froze.
“Don’t stop,” Ally begged him quietly. “Please. You look so hot.” She set the waters down next to the pool and pulled her delicate short-sleeved shirt over her head in a slow, seductive move.
At that moment, Travis couldn’t have stopped if he wanted to. He watched as she slowly stripped for him, her bra coming off next in languid, sensual motions of Ally’s upper body. Travis’s hand moved up and down his shaft, gripping himself tightly as he watched her, knowing her every movement was meant to arouse him, and it did. Painfully. Her unabashedly sensual movements drove him mad. “God, you’re beautiful,” he told her hoarsely, their gazes locked on each other.
She cupped her breasts, running her thumbs over the nipples, gasping as she watched him jerking his hand up and down his cock. “God, yes. Touch yourself, Ally.” Watching her pleasure her own body nearly broke him.
He saw her bite her bottom lip, trying to hold back her moans of pleasure. She was standing directly in front of the light coming from the bedroom, and she looked like a fucking goddess.
She moved her hands and slowly undid the button and the zipper of her jeans, shimmying out of them, revealing her body slowly, taking her panties with them. Finally, she stood in front of him boldly and beautifully naked, no longer shy about revealing herself to him completely.
“Come to me,” Travis ordered, unable to stand another second without touching her.
She slid into the pool silently, the water rippling over her breasts. Placing her hands on his thighs as she arrived in front of him, she slid her hands up and down the muscles, massaging him.
Travis moved his hand from his cock and reached out for her. “Come ride me, Ally. Convince me that you’re really here with me,” he told her in a pleading but commanding voice.
For once, he wasn’t going to hurry this moment. It was too magical, and he wanted to savor Ally the way he’d always needed to, but had never been able to accomplish.
“I almost just wanted to watch you come. You looked so amazing,” she told him breathlessly.
Travis’s heart skipped a beat, his arousal growing even hotter. What woman said something like that? Only Ally. And it made him want to please her even more. “You’re coming with me, baby,” he told her adamantly as he lifted her onto the ledge and into his lap. She straddled him, and he reveled in the slick heat of her pussy as she nudged her hips into his groin. Locking his arms around her waist, he put his lips to her neck, nipping and stroking her skin with his tongue. He took his time, relishing every touch, feeling her body quiver in his arms as he latched onto one of her nipples and then giving the other one the same attention. Lifting his head, he demanded, “Kiss me.” He put a hand behind her neck and guided her mouth to his.
He explored her mouth with his tongue slowly, loving the way she followed his lead, entangling her tongue with his, bringing them closer than they’d ever been before. Moving his hand down to his cock, he groaned into her mouth when he parted her folds and his fingers found nothing but hot, wet need between her thighs. He guided his cock to her tight channel, pressing his hips up to enter her. She moved then, bearing down on his cock until he was completely buried inside her.
She moaned into his embrace and threaded her hands through his hair, neither of them moving for a moment. Travis luxuriated in the feel of her lips on his, her inner muscles gloving his cock with warmth. Hot mineral water flowed over them as they lost themselves to sensation.
Ally rotated her hips slowly as she fisted his hair, breaking off their kiss to pant beside his ear. Travis grasped her hips, thrusting upward, wanting to fill Ally so completely that she’d crave him forever. In that moment, Travis realized he wasn’t just fucking anymore; he was making love with the woman who melded with him so perfectly that he never wanted it to end. Truth was, he’d always been making love with Ally, and it had always been so much more. She was fucking perfection. “Make love to me, Ally. I can’t believe you’re really here.”
“Yes,” she moaned as she rotated her hips faster. “I’ve always been making love to you. And I never want to stop.”
Travis pulled her body against his, felt her heart hammering in the same rhythm as his, their bodies both jolting every time they joined together.
They climaxed at the same time, both of them groaning as their lips locked together, Travis feeling her milking his cock as he exploded deep inside her, rocking his world totally and completely.
They stayed locked together, panting as they recovered from the earth-shattering lovemaking they’d just experienced together. Finally, Travis slid down into the water, sitting on the lowest ledge, taking Ally with him to sit between his legs. She rested her head back on his shoulder and he tightened his arms around her waist. “You were meant to be mine, Ally,” he whispered into her ear hoarsely.
“I know,” she answered simply, gazing up at the sky. “Look, it’s a shooting star. Make a wish, Travis.”
He’d never been the type of guy to do something as silly as wish upon a star. He was pragmatic, an asshole. He didn’t believe any wish on a star would come true. But one wish came immediately to mind:
I wish Ally would fall in love with me and stay with me forever.
Okay…maybe he was a realist, but he could use all the help he could get.
“Did you do it?” she asked excitedly. “I did. But you can’t tell. You can only tell me if your wish comes true.”
“I did,” he confirmed. “Did you?”
“Yes,” she answered quietly.
He wondered what she’d wished for, and he fervently hoped that someday he’d be able to tell her that his wish had been granted.
“Hope is getting married.” Jason Sutherland downed another slug of his drink, his voice full of despair. “What the hell? She went back to the same asshole she was with in Aspen. I thought I was giving her time to heal, and she went back to the bastard. All he wants is her money. Doesn’t she get that? Christ! I should have just pushed her harder after what happened between us at the holidays.”
Travis actually felt for the poor guy. He’d walked up to Tate’s house after putting Ally to bed because she was tired and had a mild headache, probably the result of the altitude. He’d have to head back soon and check on her. But he and Tate were currently wrapped up in trying to get the distraught Sutherland to calm the hell down.
Tate barely knew Sutherland, but he said sympathetically, “So what are you going to do? If you’ve been crazy for this woman for years, don’t you think it’s time to make your move?”
“It’s complicated. Her brother Grady is one of the East Coast Sinclairs. And one of my best friends. I’ve known Hope for years and none of the Sinclair brothers know I want to fuck their sister. Bad,” he answered unhappily. “We had one fucking incredible night together at the holidays…and then we had a disagreement. I was going to just bide my time, wait until she was ready. But I’m done waiting. I’m going after her. She’s not marrying this asshole.”
Tate whistled quietly. “The Sinclairs are a pretty powerful family. You sure you want to tangle with one of their own?”
Jason gave Tate a disgruntled look. “I want to do more than tangle with her.”
Travis couldn’t help but feel sorry for Sutherland. He’d been in the exact same boat with Ally when she was engaged to another man. “I’m sure your friends would rather see her with you than some guy who just wants to drain her bank account.”
“Honestly, it doesn’t matter what they think anymore. Hope is the only one who matters,” Jason confided angrily.
“You think she’s really in love with this guy?” Travis asked curiously, relating Ally’s situation to Hope’s, and it annoyed the hell out of him. Obviously, some loser was latching onto Hope Sinclair for her money, using her like Ally’s ex had used her.
“No. But Hope has a huge heart. She’s likely to fall for just about any sad story.”
Travis watched a slow smile form on Tate’s face, a smile he’d seen before, and it scared the shit out of him. Tate was forming a plan, and it was likely to be trouble.
“I have an idea,” Tate confirmed. “But it would be questionably illegal and pretty damn devious. How far are you willing to go to get this woman?”
Jason shrugged. “As far as I need to go. It doesn’t matter.”
“She could end up hating you,” Tate warned.
“Better than her being indifferent and marrying some other guy. Let’s hear it.”
Travis listened as Tate outlined a plan so outrageous that even he was surprised. The crazy thing was…it just might work. Tate was ex-military Special Forces, and he had balls of titanium sometimes in the crazy shit he was willing to do. But he was also an excellent strategic planner.
“You ready to take that kind of risk?” Tate asked Jason bluntly.
“Yeah. It would give me exactly what I want,” Jason answered in a dangerous tone.
That clenched it for Travis. Jason really was in love with this woman. Either that or he was as crazy as Tate.
“I’ll help you any way I can.” If the guy loved the woman that much, he’d do whatever he could to help Jason. God knew he could sympathize with his situation.
“I will need a favor,” Jason answered slowly.
“What is it?”
“I’m going to have to leave in the morning. And I’m scheduled for the auction. I can’t leave them hanging now. Can you take my place?”
Travis balked at the thought. “I can’t. I’m here with Ally.” He wouldn’t mind the humiliation to help Sutherland out, but he couldn’t do that to Ally, and he didn’t want to be with any other woman for an entire night except her.
“I’d be more than happy to entertain Ally for you,” Tate said wickedly.
“You’ll have your own date. And if you touch her, I’ll kill you,” Travis grunted, just the thought of leaving Ally unclaimed for the evening making him irritable.
“Just have her bid on you and win,” Jason suggested. “I’ll cover the tab.”
That could work. Travis might have a few moments of humiliation, but Ally would do it. “I’ll cover it. I’d pay anything for a night with Ally.”
“Thanks. I’ll owe you, Travis,” Jason told him gratefully.
“No, you won’t. Just get the woman and I’ll consider us even. No woman deserves to marry someone who’s just out to use her,” he rumbled, thinking about Ally. He wanted Sutherland to be successful, both for the guy’s sake, and Hope Sinclair’s.
Travis stood, ready to get back to the guesthouse. “I need to get back and check on Ally.”
“I told you to take it easy because of the altitude, Trav. You do something to leave her breathless?” Tate asked in a pseudo innocent voice.
Travis thought about their earth-shattering lovemaking earlier in the hot springs pool. He glared at Tate as he answered, “I sure the hell hope so.” Turning to Sutherland, he added, “Good luck. I hope it all works out.” He shook Jason’s hand and headed for the door, silently hoping that this woman Jason cared about was as smart and had a heart as big as Jason claimed she did. She was definitely going to need it.