Light was peeking between the curtains when Ari forced her eyes open. It took a few blinks to see that she was in bed alone. A moment of queasiness gripped her stomach; was he gone?

If she didn’t ache in the most delicious way she'd be half afraid last night was a dream. Panic was just crawling into the edge of her consciousness when the doorknob rattled. Ari gripped the sheets and pulled them to her chin just as the door opened and Duke stepped into the room carrying coffees and a bakery bag. When he met her stare, a smile curled his lips up.

“Morning, darlin.”

She let her gaze rove over him. God, he looked delicious. He had on a different t-shirt and she saw a bag sitting just outside the bathroom door. He had planned on staying.

The A/C made her nipples harden and she watched Duke lick his lips. Warmth pooled between her legs. She couldn't get enough of him, her sexy cowboy.

“So I was having this dream…” she said.

He set the food down and came closer until he stood next to the bed.

Ari lifted up onto her knees and slid her fingers under the hem of his shirt.

“Yeah? What kind of dream?”

“I dreamt that I was a cowgirl and was in this rodeo and I had to stay on this very big bull for eight seconds. But when I looked down, I was naked except for a hat.” She reached over and snatched his hat from the nightstand and slid it onto her head.

His eyes darkened and she could hear him suck in a breath.

She worked his belt buckle then popped the button on his jeans before grabbing and sliding them and his boxers down his legs. His cock bobbed free and her mouth watered.

She pulled him toward the bed and he sat back on it.

With one fluid motion she swung her leg over his hips so that she was straddling his thighs. Duke growled and dug his fingers into her waist.

“The funny thing was,” she said as she inched forward, lifting up so that the tip of his cock was nestled at the entrance to her pussy, “It wasn’t actually a bull I had to ride.” Her thighs spread wider and she sank down onto him, impaling herself on his rigid cock. Ari rocked her hips and they both groaned. “It was you.”

Duke’s grip grew harder and he rocked her back and forth. He hit so deep inside her that air hissed out from her lips.

Looking down at him, seeing the hunger burning in his eyes, made her feel wild. She lifted her hands and gripped the hat like she’d seen bronco riders do. It made her back arch and thrust her breasts out.

“Fuck, Ari.” Duke’s growl was guttural and her slid his hands up to cup and massage her breasts, twists her nipples until she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out.

Every forward thrust of her hips drove him against that sweet spot inside and she could feel the pleasure building. Her moans ebbed and flowed, low then long, until Duke pinched her nipple and she gasped.

“That’s it darlin, ride me. Show me what a good cowgirl you are. Fuck you look hot in nothin but my hat, Ari.”

His words sent heat flooding to her core and she clenched around him. She wanted to move faster but his hands were forcing her into the slow and steady rhythm that built the tension inside her excruciatingly.

“Duke.” His name was a growl pushed out between her teeth.

“That’s it, Ari. Nice and slow. Feel every inch of me inside you, darlin. It’s gonna feel so good when you come all over my cock.”

His dirty words spiraled the desire and she ground her pelvis forward, rocking against that spot that made her dizzy with anticipation.

Air lodged in her lungs and she didn’t let it go until the burning became too much and she had to suck in a breath. Every muscle in her body tightened.

Duke growled under her and she felt him swell thicker. It was too much. It was going to push her over the edge. She grabbed his hands, ground them against her breasts as her pussy spasmed around him.

“Oh god, Duke.” Her wail filled the motel room and her entire body bucked as wave after wave burst over her. Duke made a low noise and grabbed her hips, held her still while he slammed up and into her and then froze.

Ari felt his cock pulsating, filling her. Another smaller rush of pleasure dragged a low moan from her throat. By the time they both caught their breath, Ari was laying forward across Duke’s chest.

“Good morning,” she said, kissing across his shoulder.

“Fuck yeah, it is.” Duke wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. “We can wake up like this every morning, you know.”

She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. They were hazy with satisfaction and she was sure hers looked the same. “You want me to come back to the ranch with you?”

He brushed his lips across hers in a lazy kiss. “It’s why I came here. To bring you home, darlin.”

Home.

After such a short time the ranch shouldn’t feel like home, but she couldn’t remember feeling happier than she had there. Until all the shit with Molly. The reason she fled in the first place.

“What are you going to do about Molly?”

His eyebrows dipped down. “What do you mean?”

Ari pushed up so that she could see his entire face. He had to be kidding. “She’s the reason half the country thinks I’m a paid escort, Duke. She leaked the story obviously. She’s the only one outside of you and me that even knew about our deal.”

His hands slipped off her waist. “You don’t know that. Molly’s been with me since the start. Hell, half the shit you read in the tabloids is made up. It could be anyone.”

Ari pushed up and rolled off Duke. “No it really couldn’t be anyone. She was the only other person who knew about the agreement. It was her.”

All the good feelings from last night and this morning were gone. A sour taste coated her tongue. She pulled the sheet up around her body to cover it. “I’m not going back to the ranch if she’s there.”

“Why the hell are you being so stubborn?” Duke raked his fingers through his hair, sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. “I’m here. I want you with me Ari.”

“But not enough to fire the person responsible for pushing me away.” Her hands shook as she moved from the bed. The sheet draped onto the floor and pooled at her feet. Duke hadn’t tried to fight for her when she left the ranch, and now she could see he wasn’t going to this time either.

Not really.

There was no way she’d go back and live around the woman responsible for her current situation. Who knew what else Molly would subject her to, especially if Duke didn’t really believe that his longtime manager was capable of hurting Ari?

She wouldn’t live that way.

The ache started in her chest and tears burned her eyes. Damn it, for a few brief hours she’d thought she might get to truly be with the man she’d fallen hard for.

She stared at his broad back, at the way his muscles shifted as he leaned forward. His skin was tan and warm and she loved the way he tasted. Tears splashed down her cheeks. Why couldn’t he see what was right in front of him? He came for her and he had her, all her had to do was believe what she was telling him.

Duke finally lifted his head and she could see the truth in his eyes. “I can’t let her go for no reason.”

Lead formed in her stomach. “I’m not going back if she’s there. I can’t. She practically ruined my life, Duke. I can’t get a job, I’ve got strangers insulting me every time I go outside, I had an escort agency call to tell me how much money I could make with them.” Her voice rose and her heart pounded against her ribs.

Duke scrubbed his hand over his face.

“You should probably go,” she whispered, dragging the blanket up and around her shoulders. She took several steps away from the bed. Her tongue felt too thick and her throat constricted, making it hard to catch her breath.

“Ari, be reasonable. I can't fire someone I've know half my life without cause. The whole fake relationship was her idea, why would she sabotage that when the ranch was finally turning around like she predicted?”

Ari threw one hand up. “Oh my god, are all men so obtuse? She was jealous, Duke. She wanted you and saw that things between us were turning real.”

His eyebrows dropped down. “I think you’re wrong. We’re friends, that’s all. And she would never jeopardize the ranch.”

Ari laughed, the bitter sound filling the room. Her heart broke open in her chest. There were no more arguments. If he refused to see it there was nothing she could do. Her shoulders sank. “Just go. There’s nothing left to say and I’m not going back with you.”

She walked into the bathroom, shut the door and clicked the lock into place. Tears streamed down over her face and she desperately sucked air into her lungs because it felt like she was drowning.

When she heard the door to the room open then close, she finally dared to come out of the bathroom. The room was empty. Duke and his bag were gone. Her knees went weak and her back thudded against the wall. She sank down until she sat wrapped up in a bubble of blanket.

Part of her hoped he would stay and fight for her, for them. That he would think about it and realize that she was right. Part of her hoped that she’d come out and he’d be waiting, take her in his arms and never let her go.

Raw sobs erupted from her throat.

He’d walked away again, but this time she knew it was for good.

Duke was gone. She’d lost him before she ever really had him back.