The Front Runner (Gold Rush Ranch, #3)

by Elsie Silver

“Whatever you say,” he replies smoothly. “I just can’t fall in love with you, right?” I chuckle as I twist the doorknob to leave. “Oh, Stefan. I think you already are.”

“Trust me, Dr. Thorne, if I had you up against a wall, you’d be the meal.”

I pull out the carton of eggs I hid in my coat and smile at her with all my teeth. The perfect distraction. “Yup. Did I mention I’m well acquainted with where Principal Cooper lives?”

But this time, she sits close enough that our shoulders graze against each other. And after a few beats, she reaches for my hand again.

I sat there so long, feeling the press of her fingers between mine and the heat of her body so close, that we fell asleep. Her head tipped to the side and rested against my shoulder, and what was I supposed to do then?

“So, the next time those pencil pricks have something shitty to say to you, you can tell them in detail how you’ll castrate them.”

What the… I get to the fence beside Nadia to see Mira disposing of what looks like… oh. Oh God. That’s hard to look at. I’m not especially squeamish, but I’m not keen on watching a fellow male get castrated.

“Seems like sitting on the barn floor is kind of our thing,” I say.

She laughs, a soft chuckle. A noise I want to take and suck into my mouth. I want to swallow her whole. Devour her. I don’t deserve her, but goddamnit, I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted another woman more.

“Because the coffee doesn’t matter when I’m in your company.” I meant it to come out teasing, but it doesn’t—because I mean it.

“Hey, man. Even rats need love.” She winks at me. I’m pretty sure she just called me a rat in a very roundabout way.

“I’m in a long-term relationship with Mr. Purple.” My brow crinkles. “That’s a weird last name.” “He’s battery powered and made of silicone. I think it would be weird if I brought him home to meet my parents.”

I bark out a laugh. I can’t help it. Her delivery is so dry and not at all ashamed. Plus, I was momentarily jealous of a dildo. Adorable.

“Are you telling me you’d rather take me to your family reunion than your dildo?” She laughs and shakes her head. “Consider yourself the front runner in that race.”

“I’ll be better company than a dildo. I promise.” She shakes her head again and swipes her kit off the ground. “Doubtful,” is her reply as she walks away. I can’t help but appreciate the way her cargo pants hug the round globes of her ass. The things I’d do to that ass. “Bet I can make you come harder too.” She laughs, a girlish laugh. Not her usual throaty husk. “I’d like to see you try.” Challenge accepted.

“Cooking every night for just one person is kind of soul-sucking.”

“He looks like Elaine doing that godawful dance on Seinfeld.” I straight up cackle. That is exactly what he looks like. “He looks happy,” I reply. Stefan nods. “He does.”

A quiet gasp escapes me when I catch sight of the expression on his face. What I see there is primal. He’s not just looking at me appreciatively… he’s looking at me like he wants to devour me. I’m positive no man has ever looked at me like this before.

His whisper is warm and silky. “Do I have your attention now?”

“Good. Because I want to make myself abundantly clear.” We’re so close. I can feel the entire length of his body covering mine. He teases me with the lightest brush of his lips against my ear as he drops his voice and holds me captive. “You are not the pawn, Mira. You are the prize.”

“Of course.” My eyes fall to her firm ass. No one should look that irresistible in cargo pants. “And Mira?” “Yeah?” Now facing me, she continues to step backwards, putting space between us, making the pull more powerful than ever. “Only smile when you want to.”

Her lips thin as she regards me. “Okay. I’ll be here at three tomorrow. Don’t wear a suit.” My chest warms at the thought that we’re still on for our fake date tomorrow. “Why not?” “No one will believe I’d bring a guy who wears suits home. Just…” She looks me up and down. “Keep it casual. You already don’t look like my type.” I almost laugh. We’ll see about that. As she brushes past me, I murmur conspiratorially, “Is it because I’m not purple and made of silicone?” And I swear I see her blush.

“I’m not implying anything. I’m telling you I’ve never been in a relationship.” “Why?” “Because it’s never served me.” His chuckle is dark and low. “Why is that?” “Because the idea of being beholden to a man annoys me. I don’t like having to report what I’m doing or why I’m doing it or where I am. They always have all these expectations, and I don’t like feeling like I can’t do whatever I want without running it past someone else.”

“Because I can fuck myself better with Mr. Purple than any man ever has.”

“Challenge accepted. But I’m not going to fuck you until you’re begging for it.”

“It’s real.” Her voice is thick and sultry, and I reach across her body and twist her toward me.

The world swirls around us, but we stand still, lost in each other. And damn, it feels good. I knew we’d be explosive, but this is mind-altering. This is like a drug. This is the best kiss of my life.

This woman is about to be my undoing. And I’ll do almost anything to prove to her I’m deserving. I’ll burn it all down to make it happen.

This isn’t one for the record books. This is the record book.

I don’t want to tame her; I just want a front-row seat to watch her win the race.

“Absolutely nothing about the way I feel for you is a joke. And I’ll keep telling you that until you believe me.”

The kiss isn’t frantic. It’s hard, and her mouth clamps onto mine like she’s trying to steal my soul. It almost feels like an apology. Apology accepted.

Nothing about this feels fake. Our bodies. Our minds. Our hearts. Absolutely everything about being with Mira feels like one of the most real things I’ve ever had in my life. And I won’t let her slip between my fingers now. I’m going to make her come on them instead. I pull away to nip at the lobe of her ear, and she whimpers in protest. “Do you remember what I said I was going to do to you if I had you up against a wall, Dr. Thorne?” “What?” Her voice is pure lust, almost slurred. “I told you that you’d be the meal.”

“Mira.” Stefan’s hushed voice is gravelly as his lips move against my hair. “If you don’t watch that hand, I’m going to pull you onto my lap and fuck you right here in this car.”

Because this is addictive. Blow jobs have always felt like a chore, but that one felt like a drug.

“I don’t really care what you call me while I do it, sweetheart. So long as you spread those legs and let me worship between them.”

“Is sex always like that for you?” she pants out, awe bleeding into her voice. And because I pride myself on being honest, I tell her the truth. “No. It’s never been like that. Not even fucking close.”

“You have beautiful hands. Almost as beautiful as your mind and heart. Sometimes I find myself staring at them while you work, so elegant and strong all at once. Hands that heal. Hands that save lives.” His voice drops. “Hands that belong in mine.”

But when I close my lids, all I see is Stefan and his beautiful green eyes. My new favorite color.

“It’s real.”

The only thing that’s certain about where I’m going is that Mira will be with me when I get there. I’ll make sure of it. I’m playing for keeps.

What the hell? Was he taught to be some sort of psychic in Romania?

“If there was any uncertainty in your mind about where we stand, let me clear that up for you now.” He slows his thrusts, pulling out and then driving in hard, rattling my body with the force of his claim. “You are mine.” My hands slip on the desk, and my legs shake. “And I am yours.” And as I fall apart beneath his firm body, feeling him move inside of me, I know I’m exactly where I need to be. There’s no uncertainty now.

I’m drunk. It’s eleven a.m. on a Wednesday, and I’m drunk. With my dad.

I spin to follow them when a wave of dizziness hits me. I need to get out of here. That’s my last thought before everything goes black.

“No,” I say. “I’m going.” She glares at me, her eyes bright like the flames as they rake over my face, assessing me and looking like they find me entirely lacking. “I’m not sure what she sees in you. I’m not sure what drives her to defend you, to choose you when she could have anyone she wants—to walk through fire for you.” Her finger presses into the center of my chest. “But this is your chance to prove yourself to everyone. And if you ever make her cry again, I have a lot of land at my disposal to bury your body.”

“I’ve never considered myself a particularly good man. I never thought I was a bad man either. I was just a man with a sad past and no one to love. And then I saw you. It only took one look and I swear some part of me knew.”

“I knew my life would never be the same. You didn’t treat me like I was a bad man. You didn’t always treat me like a good one, either. But you made me want to be a better one. You make me want to deserve you. And I have every intention of spending the rest of my life trying.”

A better man would have let her out of our arrangement. I am not a better man. And I’ve never felt less sorry about anything in my life.