“Angelina.”

He never called her Angelina. Sometimes Angie. Usually princess. Her father’s voice was stern. She’d heard him use that tone with Harper many times, and even with Catie once or twice. But never with her. Never with Daddy’s little princess.

She drew in a deep breath and regarded her father’s handsome face. Was he looking older? His hair was mostly white now, but his face had always looked young. Did his cheeks seem a little more hollow? She’d seen him inside way too much lately. He must be spending too much time in the office. He needed to be outside more, doing the ranch work he loved.

“Yes, Daddy?”

“I hear from Harper you were nowhere to be found today.”

God. “Yes, well, I wasn’t feeling all that well. And really, I don’t see the need to shadow Harper to learn about ranching. I’ll just read a book or something.”

“Shadowing Harper today was not a request. You may be well over the age of majority, but you’re still living on my ranch. It’s time you starting earning your keep.”

“Daddy, I have my own little house.”

“For which you pay no rent. Harper pays his own way around here, and so did your sister until she got married.”

Angie huffed. “Catie spent the last four years in Paris, for God’s sake.”

“Getting her education. Before that, ever since she was old enough to lift a currycomb, she’s been pulling her weight.”

“I got an education too, you know.”

“Yes, and it’s high time you used it. It was so long ago, what was your major again? Home Ec or some other froufrou thing?”

She cleared her throat. Why was he thinking the worst of her? She had a brain. There was a reason she wanted an intelligent man. Her own IQ was quite high.

“Health sciences, with a minor in biology.”

“Good, good. With a biology background you can start taking more responsibility for the health and nutrition of the animals.”

“College was long ago, Daddy. I’ll have to read up.”

“So be it. Get online and find what you need. And I expect you to show up tomorrow and work with Harper.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She turned to leave.

“One more thing.”

She turned back. “Yes?”

“Grayhawk tells me you didn’t show up for your lesson this morning.”

She’d meant to, but she’d gotten to bed late after hanging at the Bullfrog. She hadn’t been able to force herself out of bed this morning. Plus—her neck warmed—she was embarrassed to see him after their little interlude at Catie’s pool.

“I’m sorry. I overslept.”

He cleared his throat and his nose reddened.

Uh-oh. Wayne Bay with a red nose was not a good thing.

“I’ll see that you get an alarm clock,” he said through clenched teeth. “And just so we understand each other, there’s one other thing.”

“What, Daddy?”

He shuffled some papers on his desk. “This”—he held up a document—“is my original last will and testament, leaving Bay Crossing to you and Catie and Cha Cha to Harper.” He set the papers down and held up what appeared to be an identical document. “This is a new will Harper just drew up for me.”

“Why do you need a new will?”

“Why don’t you take a look at it?” He handed her the document.

She hadn’t been to law school like her brother, but she was capable of reading a will. Everything looked in order, until—

Her skin chilled as anger welled within her. “What? You can’t possibly be serious!”

“I’m completely serious, Angelina. You have not demonstrated that you are capable of owning one of my properties when I’m gone. You either show me you’re serious and learn about ranching, or I leave Bay Crossing solely to Catie.”

Not only would she not get her share of the ranch, but she’d get nothing whatsoever. None of the money in the bank, none of her mother’s jewelry, not even Nana’s afghan—nothing, nothing, and more nothing.

“This is completely unfair! How can you even think of doing this?”

“I’ve protected you far too long, Angelina. I finally see that I haven’t done you any favors. You either learn ranching or go on your merry way and find something else to do and someone else to finance your lifestyle. I won’t be your sugar daddy any longer.”

“But—”

“No buts. Do not miss any more riding lessons with Grayhawk, either. Chad is doing me a huge favor by letting him take time out of his duties to teach you.”

“It’s not exactly a favor. Chad has tons of hands, and Rafe is being well paid.”

“Yes. By me. May I remind you that you have nothing?”

Angie’s throat constricted. Had someone punched her in the belly? Sure felt like it. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

“Daddy…”

“Crying won’t work on me anymore. I’ve said my piece and I meant every word. Now go on. You have a busy day tomorrow.”

---

“You had to do it, Wayne,” Maria Bay said to her husband.

He nodded. “I know. It was just so much damn harder than I thought it would be. I still see that sweet little girl in a pink dress.”

“She’s still your little girl. She always will be. But now she’ll have a means of supporting herself.”

“I don’t have to do this. She’d easily have enough money to live on just with her profits from the ranching operations.”

“But you said yourself when we started discussing this—she’d never grow. And that’s not what we wanted for any of our children. No one handed anything to you. Why should you hand it to her?”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “I know, I know. I stand by the decision. This is my fault.”

“You spoiled her. We both did. She was the first, and a girl. But stop blaming yourself. It’s counterproductive. And it’s wearing on you.”

He sighed. She was right, of course. “I need to get to bed, Mia.”

“I know. Come on.”

---

Well, there she is.

Rafe blinked.

Was it a mirage? A sexy mirage with dark hair in two ponytails, and yes, it was true—actual worn cowboy boots? Still hadn’t gotten the riding tights, but jeans would do. Jeans that fit her sweet little rump just right. He willed his groin not to respond.

Angie Bay was not only up and in the stall before he got there at six a.m., she had Belle almost ready. Too bad all deals were off.

“Morning.” He tipped his cowboy hat.

“Good morning.” She smiled as she ran the finishing brush over Belle’s sleek ebony flank. “I’m all ready to get going.”

“Sorry. You missed your lesson yesterday. We no longer have a deal.”

“Yes, I know.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry about that. I…er…wasn’t feeling well.”

“You could have called.”

“Don’t have your number.”

“Give me your cell.”

She handed it to him and he quickly programmed his number into it.

“There.” He tossed it back to her. “Now no more excuses.”

She smiled again. She sure was pretty as a fresh daisy this morning. Had she had an attitude adjustment? Her scarlet lips curved up slightly higher on the right side, making her smile just a tad lopsided. The tiny imperfection made her all the more desirable.

Damn, those lips had tasted good. Like a tequila sunrise heavy on the grenadine. He could have kissed her into oblivion. Damn near had, until it dawned on him that he was close to fucking his boss’s sister-in-law on his deck.

Good way to get fired. He needed his job here. Chad McCray paid well, and the extra for teaching Angelina to ride would come in handy too. Pretty soon his dad could go to Arizona. He wouldn’t give up the extra dough. The opportunity to teach Angie had come along just at the right time. Bart over at the Bullfrog had offered him a job tending bar two nights a week for some extra cash. Now he didn’t need to take that moonlighting job.

Though he did make a mean tequila sunrise.

Orange juice, tequila, and grenadine would taste great drizzled over Angie’s sweet red nipples. Course they tasted amazing alone—he had firsthand knowledge of that. That soft little sigh from her throat as he tugged—

Damn, these jeans are tight.

“All right,” he said. “Get her saddled up.”

Angie’s slender arms could barely lift the heavy saddle, but she managed to get it on Belle’s back. In the meantime, Rafe saddled Adonis.

“Go ahead and give her a bit now, but eventually you won’t be using reins much.”

“What?” Angie’s mouth dropped open.

“You’ll be controlling the horse with your legs. It’s a much better way for both of you.”

“For her, maybe. Not for me. My legs aren’t that strong.”

He’d seen her legs two days previous. They looked plenty strong. Sturdy and shapely. She’d have no trouble learning to ride this way. And he’d enjoy watching that body develop into an equestrienne’s. Fact of the matter he’d enjoy watching that body do just about anything.

She was lovely.

“Okay, honey, let’s take them out.”

They led the horses out of the stall and into one of the fenced training pastures.

“Now go ahead and mount her.” He watched. “From the left side, good.”

“Hey, look at me!” Angie smiled and raised one hand. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been up here, it feels—”

Thunk. Rafe let out a laugh as Angie landed on her backside right on the grass.

“Ouch!”

“Now don’t you wish you’d gotten those tights with leather patches?”

“Why on earth?”

“You slid right off the saddle, honey. I saw it comin’ bright as day.”

“You might have warned me.”

“And miss this? I don’t think so.” He helped her to her feet. “You’ll want to invest in one of those butt pillows, too. It’ll help when you’re trying to sit at dinner tonight.”

“Butt pillow?”

“Sure. You’ve seen them. People use them for hemorrhoids.”

She rubbed her ass cheeks. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Can’t say I am.” He shook his head. “You’re cute as hell, you know that?”

Before he thought better of it, he pulled her to his body and crushed his lips to hers. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue. “Yeah, baby, that’s right. Open for me.”

Her lips parted, and she still tasted of tequila sunrise—the tang of the orange juice, the smokiness of the tequila, the sweet cherry of grenadine—all together in Angelina Bay’s kisses. Her tongue swooped out and met his, and suddenly the kiss had gone beyond anything he’d ever known. It was a joining, a searing, a complete union.

This, from a kiss?

Rather than stop him, the thought spurred him on. He kissed her more deeply, more intensely. His tongue learned the contours of her teeth, her gums, the inside of her cheeks. All sweetness, all Angelina. Her kisses drugged him with a narcotic he couldn’t live without.

He ripped his mouth from hers. Couldn’t live without? What kind of crazy nonsense was spewing inside his brain?

He’d only just met her, didn’t even like her. Of course she was beautiful. No one could deny that. But he’d never been one to be swept away by physical beauty. What was so different now?

God, how I want another taste of her.

Her normally sparkling green eyes were glazed over. She blinked a few time. Her lips were beet red and swollen from his kisses.

Just one more—

This time she came to him. Angie flung her arms around his neck and she mashed her lips to his.

Damn it all—the kiss was even better than the first. She seduced him, tantalized him with her mouth. His cock hardened in his jeans and he pulled her close and ground it against her belly. His groan seemed to come from somewhere else.

Still the tequila sunrise—tangy, smoky, and sweet. That was Angie. That was Angie. Not just her kisses but all of her. Her tangy attitude, her smoky sexiness, and the sweetness she kept hidden until she wanted to let it out—like this morning when she got to the barn before he did and gave him a dazzling smile when he entered.

Angelina.

Angie.

Angel.

Oh, hell no.

Angie. It suited her now that he knew her slightly better.

Angie.

“Angie,” he whispered against her lips.

“Hmm?”

“I want you.”

“I want you too.” Her voice was low and husky. “God, how I want you.”

But they were in one of the training rings, out in plain sight, on his boss’s property…his boss’s sister-in-law. God, I don’t care. So don’t care.

“Let’s get the horses back.”

When Belle and Adonis had been secured in their stalls, he grabbed Angie’s hand and led her to one of the small houses on the property.

“Where are we?”

“Gerry’s on vacation this week in Denver, thank God. I’m taking care of his cat.”

Where was the damn feline? Who cares? Right now his only concern was where the bed was. Hell, he didn’t even need a bed. The couch would do. Or the floor. Or the kitchen table…

He grabbed both her hands. “You still want this?”

“God, yes, Rafe. Please. I’m so wet for you.”

His last resolve crumbled. Had it ever been there in the first place? He pulled her into the bedroom.

The cat lay on the bed. He shooed her away. All he wanted was Angie, naked, on this bed, gloving his cock in her slick, wet heat.

“Oh, baby,” he said as he unbuttoned her shirt. There they were, those beautiful breasts, like two ripe peaches pushing out from the confines of her bra. He eased the cotton fabric from her shoulders and unclasped the bra. Her breasts fell gently against her chest. He cupped them, thumbed her nipples.

“Oh, yes,” she breathed. “That feels so good, Rafe.”

His name from her lips ignited flames in his loins.

“Yes,” she said again.

“So beautiful,” he said. “You like that, baby?”

“God, yes.”

He fingered each nipple and lightly tugged on them.

“Rafe, suck them. Please.”

“Since you said please…”

He bent down and placed a light kiss on one. Her response was immediate. It budded even harder against his lips. Her skin was like satin. No, silk. Fine Turkish silk. So soft and delicate.

He kissed the nipple again, twirled his tongue around it, and licked it. Her areola contracted, and he sucked the hard bud into his mouth.

“Ah, God.” Her voice lowered an octave.

The raspy sultriness spurred him on. He sucked harder, all the while twirling the other nipple between his thumb and middle finger. He tugged it lightly, and then harder.

He could feast on these all day.

Angie’s hips moved in slow circles. His free hand wandered to the juncture between her legs. He fondled her through her jeans, slowly circling.

Her hips and moans increased in tempo. “God, please,” she said.

He fumbled with the snap and zipper of her jeans until they loosened, plunged his hand inside, and found her heat. Wet.

“So wet, baby. So wet for me.”

She writhed against his hand. Though it pained him, he had to let her nipples go. He needed her wetness, her heat. He pushed her back until she sat on the bed. He removed her boots and socks and shimmied her jeans and panties down her shapely legs.

“Spread your legs, darlin’,” he said, his voice nearly unrecognizable.

She obeyed, and he stood, tantalized. She was truly beautiful, pink and swollen and glistening.

He positioned himself in front of that treasure and darted his tongue out to taste her.

She jolted. “Oh my God.”

“Mmm, baby, you taste so good.” He swirled his tongue through her moist folds. Just like the rest of her—tangy, sweet, and smoky so perfectly combined. How long had it been since he’d tasted a woman? Far too long. And never had he tasted a woman so delicious, so satisfying.

She writhed beneath him, fisted her hands in his long hair, pulling it loose from its ponytail. “God, yes, Rafe. Lick me. So good.”

She ground into his mouth, and her sex pulsed against his face. She was going to come. This quickly, she was coming. He felt like a horny teenager. He couldn’t wait to sink himself into that moist heat.

But right now, he’d give her an orgasm. He thrust two fingers into her—her suction grabbed him—and her hips rose. As he tongued her clit, he circled his fingers and found the spot that sent her over the edge.

“Yes, yes!” She moved her hips to his rhythm.

She pulsed against his lips and fingers, and a smooth veil of moisture cascaded over his hand like a soft blanket.

Damn, she’s a squirter.

He’d had his share of experience, but he’d never been with a woman who squirted. He’d always considered the g-spot orgasm to be a myth.

He found, suddenly, that he was thrilled beyond words.

He continued to lick her while he fumbled with his own pants and kicked off his boots. Condom? His wallet. “I’ll be right back, baby,” he said.

Angie was still writhing, coming down from her orgasm. Rafe found the condom and quickly sheathed himself.

And thrust into her.

Sweet Jesus, she’s tight. So tight and so slick. She enveloped him in moist heat. He pushed into her, out, and in again.

Her words swirled around him and bathed him in contentment. The sound of his name, the endearments, how much pleasure he was giving her—all met his ears and took away the solitude that had been his life for too long.

Far too long.

He thrust and he thrust, harder and faster, until he hit the precipice and spilled into her.

So close. So wonderful. He didn’t want to withdraw.

When he finally regained his senses, he realized he hadn’t even taken his shirt off. He’d missed the sensation of those lovely breasts against his chest. He smiled. There was always next time.

And there would definitely be a next time.